wants : and, according to its efficacy upon their souls, will be his hopes and fears, his joys and sorrows. " He has no greater joy than to see his children walk in truth8."]
2. His self-denying exertions —
[St. Paul wrought with his hands by night, to supply his own temporal necessities, whilst he laboured, with incredible exertion, throughout the day, to communicate spiritual benefits to the souls of men. Though he might justly have claimed a maintenance for his body, yet he forebore to do it, that he might have the satisfaction of dispensing freely the blessings which he himself had so freely received11. Every minister indeed is not called to forego in like manner his claims of temporal support ; but every minister should be able to declare to his people, as in the presence of God, " I seek not yours, but you." The only object of a faithful servant of Christ is, to advance the welfare of his people : for this end he will " not count even life itself clear to him," but will " endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory1." And if he be really called to sacrifice his life in the sacred cause, he will account it rather a ground for congratulation than any cause of sorrow or condolence15.]
But, as in every relation of life there are duties belonging to the one side as well as the other, it will be proper for us to consider also,
II. The reciprocal obligations of a faithful people —
A husband and wife, a parent and child, a magi- strate and subject, have each their appropriate duties ; and so have also a minister and his people : and as the minister's duties are fitly represented by those of a mother, so those of the people may justly be con- sidered as analogous to those of an affectionate and obedient child. They owe then,
1. Love to his person —
[In this very epistle, wherein St. Paul testifies such un- bounded love to his converts, he tells them what they also ought to feel towards those who ministered unto them : " We beseech you, brethren, to know them who labour among you,
s 3 John, ver. 4.
h ver. 9. and 2 Thess. iii. 8, 9. with 1 Cor. ix. 12— IS. and 2 Cor. xi. 7—12.
* Acts xx. 24. and 2 Tim. ii. 10. * Phil. ii. 17, 18.