the cold, deep bed of the grave? Some may be shocked at such a question, and not very well pleased with me for putting it; nevertheless it may prove a precious balm and embalming unto others. For there are those who, by the grace of God, can joyfully resign themselves to the thought of a sudden departure. Some, indeed, have been quite forward so to do, as were the ancient martyrs. Oh what a blessed change! the more sudden, the better! The rash, however, and the presumptuous are occasionally bold enough to venture upon it, while holy persons, who tremble for their own salvation, may, "through fear of death, be all their lifetime subject to bondage." But as I wish, in the best way I can, to thank every one of you for the affection you have shown to our dear departed father, receive from me, brethren, a token of my thankfulness in this present earnest entreaty and admonition, that upon every occasion, to the very end of your lives, you would endeavour to think upon the graves among which we walk, as if you were thinking of your own, and be wisely prepared for it in ever waiting for your Lord, and in waiting upon him. Thus shall you experience more than a recompense for the respect you have this day come to pay to the memory of the deceased; you shall experience how God himself can remunerate. Now, then, "The grave is ready there! Let the full ripen'd son to his father repair! Glory, honour, and peace, from their rod and staff bloom, Near Jesus' tomb,— Which few had more watchfully heeded than they. SECTION II. HIS MAXIMS FOR PASTORAL CONDUCT. 1. A pastor of souls ought not only to be persuaded of the truth of what he preaches, but also to be divinely persuaded of his own call to the ministry of reconciliation. He should be able, so to speak, to show the register of his spiritual birth. He should have fully made up his mind to live only for the furtherance of the Divine honour and glory; to live faithfully to Christ, and to serve Him; to go into the kingdom of heaven himself, and to gain as many as possible to be partakers with him of the heavenly calling. He should purify himself, even as Christ is pure, and keep himself free from the bands of those sins which most easily beset him; so as carefully to "give no offence in any thing," and thus be the better qualified upon all occasions "to take forth the precious from the vile," (Jerem. xv. 19;) having nothing to do with the one, and upholding the other. 2. A minister of souls should go about his work with christian fortitude; be much among his flock, and not suffer himself to get discouraged. For this purpose, let him lay to heart that no Third Sunday after Trinity returns,* without occasioning, most probably, a new overflow of joy in heaven at the recovery of some one sinner to God, by the "holding forth" of the good tidings of "the word of life;" and, surely, one such fruit of his labour, though gathered even less frequently, is an occasion of extraordinary consolation. Again, that whenever things seem to go heavily, all may turn to our own profit in the end; may serve, at least, to keep us from presumption; may assist us, if we improve the trial, in becoming better acquainted with ourselves; may render us more humble before God, and induce us to wrestle in prayer for more of that witness of his Spirit, which can quiet all our doubts and anxieties. Thirdly, that God, we may be certain, has to exercise no less patience with ourselves, as believers of the gospel message, and as commissioned to preach and apply it, than we have to exercise with our hearers. How long has he to wait and look to us before any thing appears in us, that is suitable to, or commensurate with, his own glorious design in commissioning us! With what wisdom does he lead us on, in order to produce out of so much defilement in our motives, and so much infirmity in our aims, even a little that is truly valuable! And should not our patience and long suffering be learnt from his? Fourthly, that a minister has not to blame himself for living in a degenerate age, that will endure so little strenuous exertion to be made; while overflowings of ungodliness, particularly in oppressing and grinding the poor, make it the less wonderful that so little is effected by the preaching of the gospel; when rulers, often enough aware of existing abuses, are backward to apply the proper remedies; and thus allow the weaker part of society to be devoured * Alluding to the Gospel appointed for that Sunday, in the Lutheran Church. See also our own Liturgy.-TR. by the stronger. Fifthly, that God (Ezek. ix. 4) causes his mark to be set upon every one of those who sigh and cry for the general and particular abominations of their country; and, that he will spare them in the day of his righteous visitation, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. (Mal. iii. 17.) Sixthly, that such a minister may be refreshed and comforted, by considering what God may be doing by any of his brethren elsewhere, provided he has the humility to rejoice at any promotion of God's cause by their means, as if it had been effected by his own instrumentality. This will be making the good of others his own; and will prove that popularity is no aim of his. Seventhly, that though his people may not become really awakened by his zealous proclamation of the gospel, they become a little softened and civilized by some clearer notions of spiritual things. Professor Franke declared, from long experience, that he had always found that the parishes which had good men for their ministers, became gradually more civilized and orderly. Though God may grant more of spiritual ingathering to one minister than to another, this is no proof that the less successful minister is the less valuable with Him. Some surgical instruments are used constantly; others, but occasionally; yet the latter may be as valuable as the former. If the falling of a tree require fifty strokes, and one man give three, another five and forty, and another finish the business with two strokes more, we do not debate which of these men did most to fell the tree, which of them ought to have most wages, or which, at least, knows how much he has contributed to the work. Nor have we any more reason to be jealous about our own private importance in the great work of converting our fellow-sinners. 3. When we have opportunity of doing any spiritual service to others, we must not spare or excuse ourselves, or hang back through scrupulosity; though, as a general rule, it is good to know what our ability and resources are, that we may not spend ourselves prematurely. To have but two hundred florins a year for expenditure for ten years together, is more than to have four hundred once for all. Yet the person who undertakes the sacred ministry, must not regard for a moment his worldly convenience, honour, ease, or pleasure, in comparison with the great end of his high calling. Let him remember, that it is a short course we have to run in this life, and that we need not desire to have every temporal matter just to our convenience, but may well be content to take things as we find them. If we can improve such things, we may; and if not, we should never be anxious about it, nor even think of contrasting our condition with that of those who are more prosperous; rather should we compare it with that of others who are less so. Whatever afflic tions overtake us, we should not forget that it is the world that we are in, as long as we are in this life; and we should commit ourselves, with childlike submission, to the Divine disposal. And it is worth while to notice, that, as our ministerial life consists of two portions, the past and the future, so, though our better days, as we are too commonly apt to call them, are past, yet our remaining ones are bringing us every day nearer to the happy consummation. It is also far better to adapt ourselves to our situation, than to wish to have it adapted to us. In the latter case, we only labour in vain, and make our life irksome; but in the former, we have the graceful advantage of seeming as if we had been made for our situation. Those generally get through life best, whether in a civil or religious capacity, who conscientiously fulfil the duties of their station, and meddle with nothing beyond it. They may be but little noticed in their lifetime, so quietly do they make their way along; but they are missed when they are gone. 4. A minister of souls ought to show the way of salvation plainly and clearly; to teach repentance in the most friendly, affectionate, and compassionate manner of inviting persons to forsake every false way, and turn into the only right one. Our desire to declare the whole counsel of God may tempt us to fear lest we should thus deal almost too tenderly with some; but when we recollect what sort of people the ancient prophets had to address, and yet what beautifully evangelical testimonies they delivered, we may see at once that it is best to follow their example. And, with what persevering, patient, and tender affection did the apostles beseech men! (2 Cor. v. 20.) Let such be our pattern. If people learn nothing better from us than what they are already familiar with, they will be content to remain as they are; which shows how necessary it is that the good tidings should be commended to every man's conscience, in the manner of an ambassador sent to disclose one delightful message after another. 5. A pastor of souls must be like a parent. Let him think of the parent bird, that takes her young ones under her wings, and suffers them to hop upon her back. We can never expect to get the confidence of our people by overbearing manners or temporal constraints; no, nor by any thing short of long-suffering, love, and tenderness. Friendly intercourse with them often* effects much more than all the reasons, demonstrations, and sermons in the world. The traveller unwraps his mantle, not when the cold wind blows strongly, but when the warming sunshine smiles. It is better here to have a single dove flying towards us of its own accord, than to see ever so many driven into the enclosure. How desirable is it to get our people to feel so easy with us, that they can ask or tell us any thing with open-heartedness and simplicity! It is desirable, indeed, to have even the unconverted thus confiding in us; and we should aim at it. Therefore, 6. A christian minister ought not to shun friendly intercourse with worldly persons, on any suitable occasion; only he should take care to "be not a partaker of other men's sins." Some good will ever be done, where what is testified, or rather ratified by him, out of the pulpit, agrees with what he preaches in it. Much that he has taught may seem not remembered by others, yet benefit will often, by and by, come out of it. Many a flake of snow, and even many a layer of it, may be absorbed by the moisture of the ground; but, at length, as it continues to fall, the whiteness of the fields shows that it is gaining the ascendant. Therefore, sparge! sparge! quam potes: (go on scattering the good seed wherever you can; lose no opportunity; and do your best.) It is difficult to preach home to such a mixed multitude as our congregations at present consist of. When we preach the law, and "rebuke sharply," then are many of our hearers very apt to think only of others, or to make a little exception here and there in favour of themselves, especially about matters in which they know they are the less guilty. When we preach the gospel, they listen to it, and, perhaps, think of it; but that is all. What then is to be done? Go on, and preach, "in season, out of season," &c.; but be not disappointed if you fail to make everybody pious. You will, "by all means, save some.” 7. Maintenance of brotherly communication and fellowship with true Christians should never be neglected or lightly thought of by the christian minister; otherwise his pastoral work will degenerate and subside into a kind of easy mechanical employment; whence it is that many seek only their ease, glide into a mere secular life, and "mind earthly things;" although it is very difficult to say what good those pastors have ever been remarkable for doing, who have grown, by their office, remarkably rich. As the hand cannot say unto the eye, I have no need |