Many of us have cause to bless the Lord, and greatly to rejoice in his goodness this day, who enabled us to be stedfast and unmove- able in the trials that have passed over us ; and when the great earthquake shaked down our liberties, our estates, and made our hearts to shake, yet our resolutions for God and his truth, stood firm and unshaken : Our hearts turned not back, nor did our steps decline, though we were broken in the place of dragons, and cover- ed with the shadow of death. This we wholly owe to him that holds the stars in his right-hand, but our warfare is not yet ended. Our faithfulness is not yet faithfulness to the death ; we hope it will shortly be called so, whilst it thus involves our self-denial, sincerity, diligence, impartiality, and constancy.
570 THE CHAllACTER OF A TRUE EVAXGELICAL PASTOR.
These are the principal things included in the first qualification of ministerial faithfulness. In the next place let us weigh and value,
2. The second qualification in the text, viz. minister ial prudence.
The Lord's servant must not only be 'Kit^c,fa\tliful ; but cp^vi'Log, prudent, discreet, and loise. Fidelity and honesty make a good Christian ; but the addition oi prudence to fidelity, makes a good steward. Faitltfidness will fix the eye upon the right end; but it is p7'ude?ice must direct to the proper means of attaining it.
If we look into Rev. iv. 6, 7. we shall there find a stately emblem of true gospel ministers. They are A>^Pi!^ro/ croAuo/x/xaro/, Men full of eyes. They have eyes looking before them to God for direction, behind them to the flocks they lead, and within them to their own hearts ; lest after they have preached to others, themselves become cast-aways. They have also six wings ; with two they cover their faces, manifesting their deep reverence of God ; with two their feet, manifesting the humble sense of their infirmities ; and with two they fly with cheerful expedition in the service of God. They have not only the courage of the lion, the strength of the ox, the loftiness of the eagle, but the face of a man, i. e. prudence and discretion.
The use of pruaence to a minister of Christ is unspeakably great ; It not only gives clearness and perspicacity to the mind, by freeing it from passions and corporeal impressions, enabling it thereby to apprehend what is best to be done ; but enables it in its deliberations, about the means, to make choice of the most apt and proper ; and directs the application of them in the fittest season, without precipi- tation, by too much haste ; or hazard, by too tedious delay. And judge you, brethren, by this, what an interest the afiairs of Christ's kingdom have in this second qualification.
I know there is a carnal policy, an unworthy pusillanimity, that often shrewd themselves under the name of prudence ; I have no- thing to do with mock graces here : My business is to shew you, in •what particulars true ministerial prudence is highly serviceable to the affairs of Christ's house, or kingdom. And this I will briefly discourse in two respects.
The eye of prudence must look,
1. To our own personal work, to see that be well done.
2. To others who work,
1. With us as friends, that we may have assistance from them.
2. Or against us as enemies, that our work be not ruined by them.
1. Prudence will direct the servants of Christ, in their ozcn proper ministerial work, that it be well done. And in order thereto, it will guide them in their deliberations to the six following proper means, and excellent expedients.
1. Prudential expedient
And 1st, prudence will direct us, to lay a goodjbundation of know-
^rilE CHARACTER OF A TRUE EVA^XELICAL PASTOR. ,"3/1
tedge in our people's souls, hy catecldzing and instructing them in the principles of' Christianitij, without zoJuch zoe labour in vain.
Except you have a knowing people, you are not like to have a gracious people. St. Paul's prudentials lay much in this, 1 Cor. iii. 10. * As a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation.* And indeed this is the master-piece of a master -Jjuilder. All vour excellent sermons will be dashed to pieces, upon the rock of your people's ignorance. You can never pitch upon a better project, to promote and secure the success of your labours, than catechizing.
What age of Christianity ever produced more lively and stedfast Christians, than the first ages ? And then the care of this duty most eminently flourished in the churches. Clemens Alcxandrianus, Origen, Optatus, Basil, Austin, and Ambrose, were all catechists: And it is the opinion, both of Chemnitius and Zanchy, that that exercise, which Christ honoured with his presence in his youthj was a catechetical exercise.
We that live in this age, have as much obligation as they, and Ood hath furnished to our hands the best help for it, that ever any age since Christ enjoyed. As chymists extract the spirits of herbs and minerals into some rare elixir, so have our venerable assembly (lately sitting at Westminster, now in glory) composed for us the most judicious and compendious system, that ever blessed this age. And to make it yet more useful, divers w^orthy hands have been employed, some in one method, some in another, to make those com- pendious answers more intelligible to the people. And yet 1 am of opinion, somewhat may be further done to advance that great design, in a third method, that shall not only make those points more intelligible, than in answering by yea and no : or drawing out the subservient answers to such a length, as too much charges the people's memory, but withal to intermix the most useful practical matter with what is doctrinal. If such a course might obtain in all our congregations, I think it would greatly discover our prudence, and turn richly to the account of our people's profit. 2. Prudential eocpedient.
Ministerial /)rwcZc?2ce discovers itself ^;^ the choice of such subjects^ as the needs of our people^ s souls do most require, and calljbr,
A prudent minister will study the souls of his people, more than the best human books in his library ; and not chuse what is easiest for him, but what is most necessary for them. Ministers that are acquainted with the state of their flocks, as they ought to be, will be seldom at a loss in the choice of the next subject : Their people** wants will chuse their text, from time to time, for them.
The greatest part of our congregations are poor, ignorant, and un- regenerated people that know neither their misery nor their remedy. This will direct us to the great doctrines o^ conviction, regeneration^ an^ faith ; and make us to sit with solicitous minds in our studies, pondering thus in our hearts : ' Lord, ^vhat course shall we take, and
073 THE CHARACTER OF A TRUE EVANGELICAL PASTOR.
what words shall we chuse, that may best convey the sense of their sin and danger, with the fulness and necessity of Christ, into their hearts.'