As long as they continue in this world, he is God's minister to them for good, and the medium through whom he will com- municate to them the blessings of grace and peace. He is to live for them, to the end that he may be " an helper of their joy," and "perfect that which is lacking in their faith." This is to be his one employment ; and he is to consider the salva- tion of their souls his richest recompence™.]
This subject naturally involves in it, II. The corresponding duty of the people —
The relation of pastor and flock, like every other relation in life, has its peculiar and appropriate obli- gations. Those which arise out of the text, as per- taining to the people, are,
1. To seek above all things the salvation of their own souls —
[We are far from sajdng that people are not to attend to their temporal concerns : on the contrary, we affirm, that a neglect of their worldly business is exceeding criminal in the sight of God ; that their duties in civil and social life are as much to be attended to as any other duties whatever ; and that their families and dependents would have just cause of com- plaint, if their temporal interests were disregarded. But still, the first of all duties is, the care of our own souls. Nothing can equal the value of the soul : " if we would gain the whole world, and lose our own soul, what should we be profited ?" If a minister must not suffer any earthly interests to stand in competition with the souls of his people, how much less should the people suffer them to stand in competition with their own souls ! In this view their duty is very strongly marked; and the reasonableness of attending to it is incon- trovertibly established.]
2. To improve the ministry with all diligence —
[It has been shewn that ministers should invariably keep in view the salvation of their hearers. What then should the hearers do when about to attend upon the means of grace? Should they not bear in mind their own responsibility for their due improvement of the ordinances ? Should they not pray earnestly to God to prepare their hearts for the reception of divine truth, and to accompany it with the eflTectual work- ing of his almighty power ? Should they not entreat him to give unto their minister "a mouth and wisdom which none shall be able to gainsay or resist ;" and to direct him " how to speak a word in season to their weary souls?" In short,
m 1 Thess. ii. 19, 20.