The plea of the communication of all authority for office, and of office itself, solely by a flux of power from the first ordainers, through the hands of their pretended successors in all ages, under all the innumerable miscarriages whereunto they are subject, and have actually fallen into, without any respect unto the consent or call of the churches, by rules, laws, and orders foreign to the Scrip- ture, is contrary to the whole nature of evangelical churches and all the ends of their institution, as shall be manifested, if it be needful.
CHAPTER V.
The especial duty of pastors of churches-
We have declared the way whereby pastors are given unto and instated in the church; that which should ensue is an account of their work and duty in the discharge of their office : but this hath been the subject of many large discourses, both among the ancient writers of the church and of late; I shall therefore only touch on some things that are of most necessary consideration: —
1. The first and principal duty of a pastor is to feed the flock by diligent preaching of the word. It is a promise relating to the new testament, that God would give unto his church " pastors according to his own heart, which should feed them with knowledge and under- standing," Jer. iii. 1 5. This is by teaching or preaching the word, and
THE ESPECIAL DUTY OF TASTOKS OF CHURCHES. 75
no otherwise. This feeding is of the essence of the office of a pastor, as unto the exercise of it; so that he who doth not, or can not, or will not feed the flock is no pastor, whatever outward call or work he may have in the church. The care of preaching the gospel was com- mitted to Peter, and in him unto all true pastors of the church, under the name of " feeding,'' John xxi. 15-17. According to the ex- amjale of the apostles, they are to free themselves from all encum- brances, that they may give themselves wholly unto the word and prayer, Acts vi. 1-4 Their work is "to labour in the word and doc- trine," 1 Tim. V. 1 7 ; and thereby to " feed the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers," Acts xx. 28: and it is that which is everywhere given them in charge.
This work and duty, therefore, as was said, is essential unto the oflice of a pastor, A man is a pastor unto them whom he teeds by pastoral teaching, and to no more; and he that doth not so feed is no pastor. Nor is it required only that he preach now and then at his leisure, but that he lay aside all other employments, though law- ful, all other duties in the church, as unto such a constant attendance on them as would divert him from this work, that he give himself unto it, — that he be in these things labouring to the utmost of his ability. Without this no man will be able to give a comfortable account of the pastoral office at the last day.
There is, indeed, no more required of any man than God givetli him ability for. Weakness, sickness, bodily infirmities, may disenable men from the actual discharge of this duty in that assiduity and frequency which are required in ordinary cases; and some may, through age or other incapacitating distempers, be utterly disabled for it, — in which case it is their duty to lay down and take a dismis- sion from their office, or, if their disability be but partial, provide a suitable supply, that the edification of the church be not prejudiced; — but for men to pretend themselves pastors of the church, and to be unable for, or negligent of, this work and duty, is to live in open de- fiance of the commands of Christ.
We have lived to see and hear of reproachful scorn and contempt cast upon laborious preaching, — that is, " labouring in the word and doctrine," — and all manner of discouragements given unto it, with endeavours for its suppression in sundry instances; yea, some have proceeded so far as to declare that the work of preaching is unneces- sary in the church, so to reduce all religion to the reading and rule of the liturgy. The next attempt, so far as I know, may be to exclude Christ himself out of their religion ; which the denial of a necessity of preaching the gospel makes an entrance into, yea, a good progress towards.
Sundry things are required unto this work and duty of pastoral preaching; as, — (1.) Spiritual wisdom and understanding in the
76 TEUE NATUKE OF A GOSPEL CHURCH.
mysteries of the gospel, that they may declare unto the church "all the counsel of God" and "the unsearchable riches of Christ:'' see Acts XX. 27; 1 Cor. ii. 4-7; Eph. iii. 8-11. The generality of the church, especially those who are grown in knowledge and experience, have a spiritual insight into these things, and the apostle prays that all believers may have so, Eph. i. 15-19; and if those that instruct them, or should do so, have not some degree of eminency herein, they cannot be useful to lead them on to perfection. And the little care hereof or concernment herein is that which in our days hath rendered the ministry of many fruitless and useless. (2.) Experience of the poiuer of the truth which they preach in and upon their own souls. Without this they will themselves be lifeless and heartless in their own work, and their labour for the most part will be unprofitable towards others. It is, to such men, attended uoto as a task for their advantage, or as that which carries some satisfaction in it from osten- tation and supposed reputation wherewith it is accompanied. But a man preach eth that sermon only well unto others which preach eth itself in his own soul. And he that doth not feed on and thrive in the digestion of the food which he provides for others will scarce make it savoury unto them ; yea, he knows not but the food he hath pro- vided may be poison, unless he have really tasted of it himself If the word do not dwell wdth power in us, it will not pass with power yro^?i us. And no man lives in a more woful condition than those who really believe not themselves what they persuade others to believe continually. The want of this experience of the power of gospel truth on their own souls is that which gives us so many life- less, sapless orations, quaint in words and dead as to power, instead of preaching the gospel in the demonstration of the Spirit. And let any say what they please, it is evident that some men's preach- ing, as well as others' not-preaching, hath lost the credit of their ministry. (3.) Skill to divide the word aright, 2 Tim. ii. 15; and this consists in a practical wisdom, upon a diligent attend- ance unto the word of truth, to find out what is real, substantial, and meet food for the souls of the hearers, — to give unto all sorts of persons in the church that which is their proper portion. And this requires, (4.) A prudent and diligent consideration of the state of the floch over which any man is set, as unto their strength or weakness, their growth or defect in knowledge (the measure of their attainments requiring either milk or strong meat), their temp- tations and duties, their spiritual decays or thrivings ; and that not only in general, but, as near as may be, with respect unto all the individual members of the church. Without a due regard unto these things, men preach at random, uncertainly fighting, like those that beat the air. Preaching sermons not designed for the advantage of them to whom they are preached ; insisting on general doctrines not