they are a grief to him herek : they will be yet more so in that day when the Lord Jesus Christ shall come to judge the world1 : they themselves too, if they be not undeceived in time, will have to bewail their delusions to all eternity. Love is abso- lutely and indispensably necessary to prove the sincerity of our faith. If that reign not in the heart, our faith is but the faith of devils : but if that be the governing principle of our lives, then have we " that which accompanies salvation ;" and a mini- ster may confidently rejoice over us as the elect of Godm.]
3. Those who advance in holiness —
[It is essential to grace, that it grows and advances in the soul. The children of God's family are all expected to grow from "babes" to "young men," and from young men to " fathers." Now, as a mother, however she might rejoice at the birth of her infant, would soon cease to rejoice, if it did not grow in stature and in strength ; so is a minister's joy turned into grief, if he see his people making no proficiency in the divine life, but continuing under the habitual influence of those defects which characterized them in their unconverted state, or in the earlier stages of their professed conversion. O ye who profess godliness, consider this; and inquire whether you do indeed make your profiting to appear? It is only when we have clear evidence that you are growing up into Christ as your living Head, and progressively transformed into his image, that we can glory in you, or look forward with comfort to that awful meeting which we shall have with you in the great day of the Lord Jesus11.]
We will improve this subject,
1. In a way of appeal —
[The text is an appeal to the whole Church at Thessa- lonica, that he had sought nothing, and gloried in nothing, in comparison of their spiritual welfare. And the same appeal, we hope through grace, we can make also0. Yes, blessed be God, we can, and do, appeal both to you and to God himself, that that we have lived but for the benefit of those committed to our charge, and " have known no greater joy than to see our people walk in truth." Permit us then to ask, whether ye can make the same appeal to the heart-searching God ? Have ye sought, as the one great object of your life, so to improve our ministrations, that "ye might be our joy and crown of rejoicing
k 2 Cor. xii. 20, 21. J Heb. xiii. 17.
m 1 Thess. i. 4. Heb. vi. 9. n 1 John ii. 28.
° Of course, no minister will proceed to make such an appeal, if he has not a testimony in the consciences of his people, that what he savs is true.
2198.] minister's joy in people's stability. 305
in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ?" Has there also been a reciprocity of affection, so that " we have been your rejoicing, even as ye also have been ours, in the prospect of the great day of the Lord Jesusp ?" Let this be well fixed in all your minds, that unless the regard between a minister and his people be mutual, and their endeavours to reap benefits from his ministry keep pace with his efforts to impart them, little ultimate good can result from the connexion : on the contrary, the word which he labours to make unto you " a savour of life unto life, will prove in the issue a savour of death unto death."]
2. In a way of exhortation —
[A meeting must soon take place between us before the judgment-seat of Christ : and in reference to that awful period St. Paul exhorted the Thessalonian Church, saying, " We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him'1." In reference to that solemn meeting we also would exhort you. In a little time we shall be called to give an account of our ministrations, as you also will of your improvement of them. Let not him who wishes you to be his joy and crown be disappointed of his hope. If he have not to " present you in a perfect state to Christ in that day," all his warnings and instructions will have been lost upon your, yea, worse than lost, seeing that he will be " a swift witness against you."