and rose again1 ?" This, methinks, is the least that we can do. To love him, to serve him, to glorify him in every possible way, is surely no more than " our reasonable service." Now, when he would instruct the Apostle Peter, how to evince his love, and how to render him the most acceptable service, what direc- tion did he give him ? " Simon, lovest thou me ? Feed my sheep : feed my lambs." If it be said, that this was done for the purpose of restoring Peter to his apostolic office, which he had disgraced and for- feited, I grant it was ; but still it shews, that, to administer to the spiritual and eternal welfare of the Lord's people, as far as our respective circumstances will admit of it, is a suitable expression of our love to him, and a service most acceptable in his sight. What then shall we say, if, when we have seen all his kindred according to the flesh scattered over the face of the whole earth, we have never endeavoured to bring one to his fold, or to feed them in the pastures prepared for them ? May he not justly take up against us the complaint which he uttered against his shepherds of old, " My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill : my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them5}" May not the re- proach cast on the Christians at Rome be justly ap- plied to us, " All men seek their own, and not the things which are Jesus Christ's1?" And may not the Jews themselves adopt, in reference to us, the lamen- tation of David, " I looked on my right hand, and beheld ; but there was no man that would know me : refuge failed me; and no man cared for my soul* V I readily grant, that we are not all called to the pastoral office : but are we therefore freed from all obligation to use our efforts for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom, according to our ability ? Do we not read of even females who " laboured in the Lord, yea, and laboured much in the Lord* ?" There are many things which we all might have done
1 2 Cor. v. 15. » Ezek. xxxiv. 6. * Phil. ii. 21.
u Ps. cxlii. 4. * Rom xvi. 12.