demand-the" travailing in birth" for souls once and "again, until Christ be formed in them" -the disappointments on account of professed Christians, and the weeping over the falls of real ones—the daily contact with sin, obstinacy, and impenitence--and finally, the conflict with the powers of darkness-all these combine in our sacred employment, wakening emotions of the most opposite character, and yet issuing at length in the triumph of faith; "as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." This general view of the Pastoral work will shew at once its laboriousness, and its importance. To acquaint ourselves with the various wants of our people; to win their affections; to give a seasonable warning, encouragement, instruction, or consolation; to identify ourselves with their spiritual interests, in tender sympathy, and Ministerial obligation; to do this with the constancy, seriousness, and fervid energy which the matter requires, is indeed a work of industry, patience, and self-denial. And yet, how else can we "make full proof of our Ministry," but by ready obedience to the injunction--" watch thou in all things; do the work of an evangelist ?" The true portrait of a Christian Pastor, is that of a Parent walking among his children-maintaining indeed the authority and reverence, but carefully securing along with it the love and confidence, that belongs to this endearing relation. He is always to be found in his own house, or met with among the folds of his flock -encouraging, warning, directing, instructing-as a counsellor, ready to advise as a friend to aid, sympathize, and console-with the affection of a mother to lift up the weak-" with the long-suffering" of a father to "reprove, rebuke, and exhort." Such a one-like Bishop Wilson in the Isle of Man, Oberlin in the Ban de la Roche--or the Apostolical Pastor of the High Alps3—gradually bears down all opposition-really lives in the hearts of his people, and will do more for their temporal and spiritual welfare, than men of the most splendid talents and commanding eloquence. 1 Gal. iv. 19. 2 Tim. iv. 5. 3 Gilly's Life of Felix Neff, a most exciting piece of Biography. See also a new Life of this devoted Pastor, by M. Bost, with large and most interesting correspondence, lately published by Messrs. Seeley. CHAPTER II. TREATMENT OF CASES IN THE PASTORAL WORK. The many subdivisions of the two grand classes which divide the world, offer a great variety of cases, the just treatment of which is a matter of the greatest moment. We venture a few hints on some of the most important of them-chiefly drawn from the observation of the New Testament ministry, as illustrative of the several specialities of our Ministrations. I. THE INFIDEL. MANY of us come in contact with infidelity in its most malignant and popular forms-impatient of all moral restraintsbreaking with a bold hand all social bonds, and defying the authority of the government of God. There is the sensual infidel. His belly or his money is his god. He wants to be persuaded that there is no God, because he wishes there were none: and because he is afraid, lest there should be. This class are not thinking men; but they "have heard the blasphemy of some:" they try to believe a doctrine, which they trust will quiet their consciences, and prove the warrant, encouragement, and refuge of sin. They "beseech us to depart out of their coasts"--"saying-Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." 2 Our Lord traces this infidelity to its source--not the want of evidence, but the love of sin; and teaches us to deal with it, by aiming at the conscience; setting forth the sentence of condemnation; convincing of sin; exhibiting the correspondence of the heart with the declarations of God; and contrasting with it the holy character of the work of God. 3 Gregory treats of no less than thirty-six cases (chiefly relative situations, or moral dispositions ;) but with very scanty exercise of spiritual discrimination. De Cura Past. Part iii. c. 1. Bucer enters into detail with more accurate and instructive distinctness. Scripta Anglicana. De Animarum Cura. pp. 293–350. 2 Matt. viii. 34. 1 Cor. xv. 32. 3 John iii. 19-21. There is also the imitative infidel,—such as those who are often in infidel society. They dare not confess a cause, which is a standing jest with men of wit. They cannot endure their scorn. They are overpowered by their bold assurance. They hear plausible arguments advanced, or some witty speech uttered against religion. They take it up as their own. The ambition of being thought a little above their own class makes them retail it. This is common among young men, just advancing into all the pride and pruriency of self-conceit. We can only expose their foolish pride, inculcate a teachable spirit, and bring before them the simple authority of the Divine testimony, which to candid minds will come with more powerful conviction than all the witty sayings of wise fools. There is also the shrewd infidel,-such as Hume, Gibbon, and Paine. Here we find the love of sin gathering strength from the pride of reasoning. Refusing to believe what they do not understand (a palpable proof of inconsistency and ignorance; for upon this principle they must reject the works as well as the word of God); they degrade revelation by the supposition, that a system within the grasp of the puny intellect of man could be worthy of God, or proceed from God. How can their principles account for prophecy, miracles, the establishment of the Gospel in the world by such weak instruments in opposition to all the power and learning of man, its civilizing and newcreating influence? Let them be pressed with their own difficulties-far greater than those of the Gospel. Let them be convicted of credulity, in being constrained to believe the greatest improbabilities, in order to make way for their disbelief of Revelation. Let them be shown the cruelty of their schemedespoiling" men of their only hope-excluding every glimmer of light in the vista of futurity-offering nothing for the present distress-promising nothing but doubt, anxiety, and despair. Can a system so dark and gloomy have proceeded from a God of love? Is there not a far stronger motive to embrace, than to reject, the Gospel? If it be false, believers are as safe as unbelievers. If it be true (and has the unbeliever no misgiving here?) where is his lot for eternity? 1 St. Paul's Ministry at Athens teaches us to set forth Christ to 1 Col. ii. 8. infidels of every class and character. ' And indeed this-as a remedy commensurate with every distress-is the strongest testimony for the Gospel. The prevalence of this poison should lead us to inculcate upon all, especially the young, the study of the evidences of Christianity, that they may "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh them, a reason of the hope that is in them, with meekness and fear." II. THE IGNORANT AND CARELESS. 3 6 SUCH were the multitude in our Lord's time. The spirituality and requirements of his law-the most searching developments of the heart, mingled however with the strongest encouragement; the nature and immediate duty of faith in himself; 5 the awful consequences of rejecting his salvation; uncompromising exhibitions of the terms of the Gospel; the most unfettered invitations to all that were willing to accept them 8-these formed the prominent topics of his general instruction. In individual cases he dealt closely with the conscience by tangible points of conviction. The exhortations of the Apostles were of course more explicit. Their arrows of conviction were dipped in the blood of Christ; and the display of the cross was the ground of their successful pleadings of love. 10 This, like every other class, must be treated according to character. The principle of unbelief needs to be laid open to them, as the source of all the proud reasonings against the fundamental truths of the Gospel, and of the awful contempt of its gracious offers; and issuing at length in hardness of heart, and stupidity under the means of grace. Let them be charged 3 Baxter's practical treatises contain the most arresting addresses to the unconverted, that probably have ever come from the pen or heart of man. A more clear exhibition of evangelical doctrine and motive would however have added much to their power. His method also of Christian establishment greatly fails in the display of the freeness, fulness, and simplicity of the Gospel. 5 John vi. 29-65. Luke xiv. 25-33. 6 Matt. xi. 20-24. 8 Matt. xi. 28-30. John vii. 37. 4 Matt. v-vii. 7 Ibid xiii. 44--46. 9 Luke vii. 40-50; xii. 13-21. John iv. 5-26 10 Acts ii, iii, iv, xiii. with Zech. xii. 10. solemnly upon the inexpressible sinfulness and danger of their state, especially in the aggravated guilt of the rejection of the Saviour. We must picture before us men asleep in the immediate neighbourhood of fire, "saving them with fear, pulling them out of the fire."1 A solemn statement has often been owned with an awakening blessing. The man also should be brought, if possible, to a point, and some appeal fastened upon his own declarations. He thinks but little of eternity; yet he hopes to go to heaven, because he wishes to go thither. Here is ground to work upon the folly of making his indolent wishes the ground of his hopes. He would give every thing on a deathbed to be assured of his safety: why is he not in earnest now? He knows Christ as a Saviour, but has no personal interest in him-no sense of want, no spiritual exercise of faith. He needs instruction, like a babe or a heathen, upon the elementary truths of the Gospel. The hardened of this class must be treated with the greatest mildness; speaking to their condition with the most compassionate regard, and with the most "beseeching" entreaties" Be ye reconciled to God." Let them not suppose, that by denouncing the judgments of God, we seal their condemnation; but rather that we endeavour to awaken them to escape from it that we "shut them up under" wrath, only as the means of "bringing them to Christ." 5 Let us connect every exposure of wilful infatuation with the invitations of the Gospel. 6 Many, who are repelled by remonstrance, and proof against reasoning, have been overpowered by love. The cross of Calvary has arrested the attention of the most ignorant; wrought irresistibly upon the most stubborn; and displayed the vanity and wretchedness of the world to the conviction of its most determined votaries. 9 The exhibition of the Saviour in his allsufficiency, suitableness, faithfulness, and love, affords ample warrant for enlivening hope in the most desperate cases. -- Jude 23. 4 2 Cor. v. 20. 2 22 Tim. ii. 24, 25. 4 3 Comp. Jer. iv. 19. Micah i. 7, 8. 5 See Gal. iii. 23, 24. 61 Sam. xii. 20-22. Ezra x. 2. Isaiah lv. Acts ii. 23, with 37-39. 9 Gal. vi. 14. |