souls, as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you." Taking this passage for our guide, let us first attend to what is here said of the duty and obligation of ministers. I. The duty of Ministers to their People is thus described. They" have the rule over them," or, as the word may properly mean, have the guidance of ¿ them; and "watch for their souls" Nothing can be clearer, than that God desireth not the death of a sinner; that He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. In his great love to the souls of Men, he has provided an all-sufficient salvation for them. He has given his only-begotten Son to be their Saviour. He reveals to them these glad tidings in his Written Word, which be has stored with the most precious promises, and most gracious encouragements. But men are prone to evil. Notwithstanding all that God has done for their salvation, they are prone to neglect their souls, and to forget the One Thing needful. Hence God, to his other. gifts, has mercifully added that of a standing ministry. He has appointed in his Church, a succession of men, whose peculiar office it should be, to preside over the spiritual concerns of the people committed to their charge; to guide and go before them in heavenly things, not as "having dominion over their faith, but as being helpers of their joy;" to open to them the Scriptures and so, by putting them in remembrance of the things which belong unto their peace, to stir them up to a suitable and holy practice, and to a greater diligence in making their calling and election sure. Such in general is the duty of a minister to his people, as contained under the expression of "having the rule over them." But there is another expression here used, which directs us to go farther into particulars. "They watch for our souls." This expression denotes that no small degree of diligence, of perseverance, and of anxiety, is necessary for the discharge of the ministerial office. At least it implies, that a minister, in the faithful exercise of his calling, is required to perform two things. First, solemnly to admonish the people of their danger. If he see them living in a state of careless unconcern, of presumptuous security, or of fatal self-deception, he must endeavour to awaken them to a sense of their awful condition. To this end he must reprove, rebuke, exhort. He must affectionately warn them of their error, and of the misery to which it leads. He must faithfully set before them the terrors of the Lord, and the threatenings of Scripture; and shew them what will assuredly be the end of those, who obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. In thus discharging his trust, he may indeed perform a very unpleasant task. He may speak many disagreeable truths, and may run the risk of offending those whom he sincerely loves, and would anxiously please. But if he do less than this, can said to watch for the souls of his people? form the office of a faithful Watchman, whose business it is to give notice of the approach of an enemy, and endeavour to he be truly Does he per to awaken those who are sleeping securely, when dair ger is at hånd? Nay, rather does he not betray his trust, and leave those to perish, whom he should strive to save and rescue ? · But farther, he is required, Secondly, to look out for every convenient opportuuity of doing good to the souls of his people. There are some seasons, at which the mind is more disposed to admit religious impressions than at others. In times of sickuess, and under the pressure of afflictions, the heart is more likely to be softened, and the conscience to be alarmed. At such seasons the kind attentions of the minister will, it is probable, be favourably receiv ed and the wholesome truths, which at another time might be heard with impatience, will be listened towith meekness, and sometimes even with pleasure: The minister, then, who watches for the souls of his peo ple, must avail himself of such opportunities. He must be forward to meet, and careful to improve them. Nor must he confine his endeavours even to such favourable He must be "instant in season and out of season." He must teach not only " publicly, but from house to house," "rightly dividing the word of truth," and giving to every one his due proportion of spiritual food. seasons. Such, on the whole, we may gather from the text, to to be the duty of ministers to their people. Now observe the obligation which they are under to a faithful performance of their duty. "They watch for your souls as they that must give account." Ministers must give account of their ministry. It is a talent commit ́ted to their keeping; and their own everlasting happiness or misery depends on the diligence and fidelity with which they improve it. They are indeed “Stewards of the mysteries of God.” But they are only Stewards, and “it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful." They are shepherds and have the charge of the flock. But there is a chief shepherd, to whom they are answerable for the exercise of that charge. Attend to the following reproof of the shepherds of Israel, for their carelessness and neglect of the flock: a reproof to which Christian pastors, if guilty of like carelessness and neglect, are equally liable. "The diseased have ye not strengthened; neither have ye healed that which was sick; neither have ye bound up that which was broken; neither have ye brought again that which was driven away,; neither have ye sought that which was lost."-" Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the Word of the Lord. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field; because there was no shepherd; neither did my shepherds search for my flock but the shepherds fed themselves and fed. not my flock therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God: behold I am against the shepherds, and I will require my flock at their hand." Listen again to the solemn admonition which the Lord addressed to the prophet Ezekiel; an admonition, which may be addressed with equal force to every minister of the gospel; "Son of Man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel, therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warn ing from me. When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die, and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet, if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou has delivered thy soul."a From these passages, it plainly appears, how strict will be the account which Ministers will be required to give; how awful is the state, and how dreadful will be the doom of those, who neglect their Duty; and consequently what strong Obligations they are under, to watch for the souls of their people. These Obligations indeed are no where more distinctly stated, than in the Ordination Service of our Church. The following extract from that solemn charge which every Minister receives from the Bishop, on his admission to the order of Priests, contains a clear and most Scriptural view both of the Duties and • Have always Responsibility of the Pastoral office. ' printed on your remembranɔe, how great a treasure 'is committed to your charge. For they are the Sheep ' of Christ, which He bought with his death, and for whom he shed his blood. The Church and Congre "gation, whom you must serve, is his spouse, and his body. And if it shall happen that the same Church, Member thereof, do take any hurt or hind rance, by reason of your negligence, you know the greatness of the fault, and also the horrible punishment or any a Ezek. iii. 17, 18, 19,—xxxiv. 4—7, 8, 9, 10. |