constraint upon repulsive minds, and to bring our people to God, and to keep them continually near to him.' This Dr. Doddridge judged to be the grand purpose of the Ministry; but found, as he complained, that it was, 'to him at least, a very hard thing.'1 Orton's Life of Doddridge, ch. v. PART V. THE PASTORAL WORK OF THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY. LET us not think, that all our work is done in the study and in the pulpit. Preaching is indeed the grand momentum of Divine agency; but it derives much of its power from connexion with the pastoral work; and its too frequent disjunction from it, must be considered as a main cause of Ministerial inefficiency.1 The Pastor and Preacher combine to form the completeness of the sacred office, as expounded in our Ordination service, and implied in scriptural illustrations. How little can a stated appearance in public answer to the lowest sense of such terms as Shepherd, Watchman, Overseer, Steward ! —terms, which import not a mere general superintendence over the flock, charge, or household, but an acquaintance with their individual wants, and a dis 1 Thus Dr. Doddridge remarked—' My heart does not upbraid me with having kept back any thing that may be profitable to my people. But I fear, I have not followed them sufficiently with domestic and personal exhortations.'—Orton's Life, ch. ii. Bishop Wilson recommended his Clergy to visit every family and soul in his parish at least once a year, that we may all of us' (said he, alluding probably to Heb. xiii. 17.) be able to give a comfortable account of our labour to our Great Master." Stowel's Life, p. 114. Baxter's Reformed Pastor may be generally referred to, as placing this important Ministry upon its high ground of obligation, urging the strongest motives, answering the chief objections, and suggesting most admirable directions for the work. tribution suitable to the occasion: without which, instead of “taking heed to the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made us overseers,” we can scarcely be said to "take the oversight of it” at all. We shall enter into some details of this most interesting subject. CHAPTER I. THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE PASTORAL WORK. THE Pastoral work is the personal application of the pulpit Ministry to the proper individualities of our people-looking upon them severally, as having a distinct and separate claim upon our attention, cares, and anxiety; urging each of them, as far as possible, to the concerns of eternity; and commending to their hearts a suitable exhibition and offer of salvation. For this purpose we must acquaint ourselves with their situation, habits, character, state of heart, peculiar wants, and difficulties, that we may "give to each of them a portion in due season." The Pastor unites in himself the offices of Watchman and Evangelist. He "watches for souls," "lest a root of bitterness should spring up' " to the trouble and defilement of the church-lest unchristian tempers and practices should mar the Christian profession-lest a lukewarm spirit should paralyze Christian exertion, or a spirit of contention hinder Christian love. All need his superintendence. The indolent are slumbering the self-dependent are falling back-the zealous are under the influence of spiritual pride-the earnest are becoming self-righteous-the regular, formal. |