Some men are moved by pitiful low ends. 1 Sam. ii. '66. " Put ine into the priest's office, that I may eat a piece of bread."*" Some by ambition, conceiting themselves as able and holy as the best^ Numb. xvi. 3. What men's secret ends are, we cannot know ; but their qualifications for that work we may, and ought to know. We are solemnly charged, to ' lay hands suddenly upon no man,' 1 Tim. V. 22. In Solomon's time, the Jews were exceeding careful and wary in admitting proselytes, because theywerethcn a flourishing and pros- perous state ; not sd cautelous in time of adversity, as Joscplius ob- serves. I would discourage none that appear to have pious inclina- tions, matched with competent qualifications. Many be useful, that cannot be excellent. Weaker gifts, rooted in a gracious heart, will grow by using ; bu<^^ nothing grows without a root. I think the plain- est men have done the greatest service in the church of Christ : as tender-eyed Leah brought forth more children than beautiful Rachel. But still fidelity and prudence are indispensible qualifications.
Consectary 3. If there be such rewards, in the hand of Christ, for all his faithful and wise servants ; Then we have no just cause or rea- son to repent of our choice of this office, whatever siifferings and re- proaches it hath or yet may expose us to. I believe none of us ever yet felt such straits, endured such miseries, or sustained such labours, as the apostle mentions to have befallen him, 2 Cor. xi. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. and yet he heartily thanks the Lord Jesus Christ, (for all that) who had counted him faithful, and put him into the ministry.
Brethren, we have served a good Master, and have cause to ad- mire his care over us, and bounty to us ; and whatever we have suf- fered, we may say to them that shall succeed us, as Tossanus did to his children and kindred, in his last will and testament : '^ ' I charge you my dear children and relations, That ye never be ashamed of the evangelical truth, either for the sake of offences arising from "within the church, or of persecutions from without it. Truth may labour, but cannot be suppressed : And I have often found by expe rience, the Lord to be wonderfully present with them, that walk be- fore him diligently and uprightly.' O he hath been a good God to us ! he hath covered us in days of danger, made provision for us and ours, and yet his best rewards are behind. Let none scare at the re- proaches and persecutions that attend the gospel.
Use II. This point casts an ireful countenance upon all unfaithful and imprudent ministers, who give their people the chaff for the wheat, and stones for bread ; who glory in the title, and live upon the profits, but neither feed the flock, nor mind the account. They
* Ohtcstor vos, liberos et generos charissimos, ne illius veritatis evangelicee unguam vospw deat, vel propter scandala domi., vet propter persccutiones. quccjbris excitanlur. Potest enim laborare, sed iion vinci Veritas. Et nonsemcl expertus sum Doiuinum Dcum mirahilliter addesse tis qui chornm ipso ambulant^ et in sua vocutione scdulo et integre versantiir, &c. Melch. Adam in vita Tossani, p. 720.
582 THE CHARACTER OF A TIIUE EVANGELICAL PAST OR.
preach, they pi'ay, because they must do so; but none are the bet- ter for their prayers, or preaching. They seem to labour an hour or two in a week, but their labours turn to no account; nor can he expected to turn to any good account, whilst they are neither animated by faithfulness, nor guided by prudence.
Agricola, writing de anvnant'thus subterraneis, tells us of a cer- tain kind of spirits that converse with minerals, and much infest those that work in them* They seem to busy themselves according to the custom of workmen ; they will dig and cleanse, melt and sever the metals, yet when they are gone, the workmen do not find that there is any thing done. I came not hither (I confess) to deal with this sort of men; and therefore shall leave them to consider the words immediately following my text, which, like a thunder-clap from the mouth of Christ, discharges woes and threatenings upon them ; ver, 48. to the end : " If that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming ; and shall begin to smite his fellow-ser- vants, and to eat and drink with the drunken : The Lord of that servant shall come in a day that he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of; and shall cut him asunder, and ap- point him his portion with hypocrites. There shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth." Who can aggravate their misery more, than these words of Christ have done ?
But I am principally concerned at this time about our own defects, both in faithfulness, and in prudence ; though neither of these (I hope) to be totally wanting in us, yet our defects and short-comings may, and must greatly humble us. Our vain expence of much pre- cious time, our shuffling haste in so weighty a study as the salvation of our people is; our sinful silence, when conscience saith, reprove; our coldness and dead-heartedness ; our unserious and unprofitable converses; our pride and ostentation of gifts; our neglect and per- sonal conferences : all these evidently discover, that both our brains and bowels need more strength and tenderness. I will not insist here upon these particulars, (let us do that in our studies) but hasten to the exhortation, and therein to the close of this discourse.
Are faithfulness and prudence the essential requisites of the ser- vants and stewards of Christ's house ? And will he so amply reward them in whomsoever he finds them ? Then let it he our care and study to approve ourselves to him, such as he here descj'ihes and encourages.
But who am I, to m.anage such a work as this, among men every way above me ! However, you have called me to this service, and Christ hath directed me to this subject : And should I now silently pass over this part of my work, how shall I approve myself, either a faithful, or a wise servant to him that sent me.''
I despair of ever having such another opportunity- ; I see many ■faces in this assembly, whom I shall never see any more in this world.
THE CHARACTER OF A TRUE EVx\NGELICAL TASTOE. 583
I speak to the ministers of Christ, the guides and pastors of so many flocks. May I be in the least instrumental to quicken them in their duties, their respective numerous congregations will reap the benefit ofit.
My brethren, this is the day I have often wished for, when in the sad and silent years that are past, I have been searching my own heart, and enquiring into the causes of God's indignation (as I doubt not you also have done;) I have bewailed the forementioned defects be- fore the Lord, and engaged my soul by solemn promise to him, that if he would once more open the door of liberty, I would (through his grace) labour to reform, and do my utmost to persuade all my brethren to exercise more ministerial faithfulness and prudence.