The Work of the Ministry Represented to the Clergy, Part 2
PART II.
HAving laid before you the Duties both private and publick, which belong to your Holy Function; I come now to treat a little of the Spirit wherewith they ought to be Performed.
SECT. I.
And above all things you muſt labour to poſſeſs your Hearts with a Spirit of Love to God, whoſe Servants you are, and who employs you in the moſt Glorious Work, in the World. A Spirit, I ſay, of Love to God the Father, who hath ſent his Son to be the Saviour of the World, and to God the Son, who loved the Church and gave himſelf for it; and to God the Holy Ghost, who hath, by a peculiar Grace, ſeparated you from other Men, to Miniſter unto Chriſt in his Church. Which was a Witneſs of what was ſaid to you at your Ordination; Receive the Holy Ghost, for the Office and Work of a Prieſt in the Church of God. Theſe were not empty words, nor mere lofty Expreſſions, without any Power in them: But an effectual Prayer for the Holy Spirit of Grace, which was then conferred upon you. And ſhould mightily move you to ſerve the Church of Chriſt, in the love of the Spirit, as St. Paul ſpeaks, XV Rom. 30. That is, in the Love, which the Spirit of God inſpires you withal. For, as he ſaith before in that Epiſtle V. 5. The love of God is ſhed abroad in our Hearts, by the Holy Ghoſt which is given unto us. So we pray in the Hymn, which is recited at the Ordination of Prieſts
Come Holy Ghoſt, our Souls inſpire,
And lighten us with Coeleſtial fire,
Thy bleſſed Unction from above,
Is comfort, life, and fire of Love.
Theſe are not vain words, if ſent up with ardent Affection to God, but procure for us the power of the Holy Spirit, to enlighten, and enliven, and warm our Hearts with the Knowledge and Love of God our Saviour. Which Love we ſhould every day endeavour to ſtir up; by reflecting upon the wonderful Love of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt unto us. For ſo St. Chryſostom notes upon thoſe words of St. Paul, XV Rom. 30. He mentions the Love of the Spirit, foreign; For as Chriſt and the Father hath loved the World, ſo hath the Spirit. Upon this Love we ought to reflect every Morning, and ponder it ſo long, till we find it excite in us that Heavenly fire of Love to God; which we prayed for at our Ordination.
For if we preſerve this Flame in our Hearts; it will make us cheerful as well as diligent, reſtleſs and unwearied in the work of the Lord. Nothing can carry … thorough it, like this; and render it ſo eaſy and ſweet to us: as to think we are ſerving our good God, in that which he loves and delights to have done; and to feel that every thing we do proceed from love to him, and to his ſervice.
Our Saviour teaches us, that this is the Principle by which … his Miniſters ought to Act, in that Queſtion which he asks St. Peter, and repeats it thrice after his Reſurrection, Simon Peter loveſt thou me? (XX… Joh. 15, 16, 17.) And in the command which follows upon his profeſſion that he ſincerely loved Him. Feed my Lambs, and feed my Sheep take care of the Souls of Young and Old, that they want not their proper Food. For they are ſo dear to him (as Theophylact there Notes) that he makes our care of them, to be the mark of our Affection to him; foreign. For it is therefore a certain token of our Love to him; becauſe it flows from thence as from its Fountain and Spring. If we love him, we can never neglect them. This will make us ſtudious and induſtrious to promote the Salvation of thoſe Souls, whom Chriſt ſo dearly loved: It being the trueſt Expreſſion of our Love to Chriſt. So St. Chryſoſtom upon this place: Chriſt repeated this ſo often, to ſhow us, foreign, After what manner we ought chiefly to love him, by taking care of his flock. Can any Man read this then and be negligent? No; not if he Love the Lord Jeſus in Sincerity: who hath bid him demonſtrate his Love, by feeding his Lambs and his Sheep There are ſeveral other things, ſaith that great Father of the Church, which may give us ſome Confidence towards God, nay make us Illuſtrious and Famous: But that which above all things wins us the favour of Heaven, is, foreign, our tender care of our Neighbours. Which leads to the next thing;
SECT. II.
Which is a ſincere Love and Affection to the Souls of Men, which Chriſt hath redeemed with his precious Blood. If we make an eſtimate of them by the price which was paid for them, we cannot ſet too high a value upon them: And if we look upon them as invaluable Beings (purchaſed at ſo dear a rate) we ſhall do all we can to ſave them; and be exceeding fearful, leaſt any of them ſhould be loſt through our Negligence.
Preſerve therefore, and keep alive in your Hearts, a Spirit of love to the Souls of Men; eſpecially to your Pariſhioners. And there is no way to do this like to the Conſideration, what it coſt to Redeem them; no leſs than the Blood of the Son of God: who demonſtrated thereby how precious they are in themſelves, and how dear to him. Beſtow a few thoughts upon this every day, and it will beget and continue in you the greateſt Kindneſs, and tendereſt Compaſſion towards them: And that will move you to lay out your ſelves with the utmoſt Diligence, in all the Offices belonging to your Function. And this, both for his ſake, and for theirs; that, he may ſee of the travel of his Soul, and be ſatisfied (as the Prophet ſpeaks LIII Iſa. 11.) and that they may obtain the Salvation which is in Christ Jeſus, with Eternal Glory, 2 Tim. 2. 10.
I ſhall conclude what I have ſaid of theſe two things (a Spirit of love to God, and to the Souls of Men) with a notable Diſcourſe of St. Auſtin's. Who in a Letter to Longinianus, a Pagan Philoſopher, remembers him of this ſaying of one of the Ancients, quibus ſatis perſuaſum eſſet, ut nihil mallent mallet ſe eſſe, quàm viros bonos, his reliquam facilem eſſe doctrinam; unto thoſe who were perſwaded ſo far, as to deſire no thing but to be made good Men, all the reſt of the Inſtructions, that Philoſophers could give them, would be very eaſy. This he ſaith he took to be a ſaying of Socrates, which muſt be acknowledged to be excellent. But then he tells him, there is a far more ancient prophetical ſaying, which preceded this many Ages; teaching Men briefly and at once, not only to deſire nothing but to be made good men; but alſo how they may be made truly good, viz. Love the LORD thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy Soul, and with all thy mind; and thy Neighbour as thy ſelf. To him who can be perſwaded to do this, Non ei reliquam facilem, ſed eam totam eſſe doctrinam duntaxat utilem & ſalubrem. I do not ſay as Socrates did, that all the reſt will be eaſy; but that this is the whole only profitable and wholeſome Doctrine; and there needs no more. Epiſt. XX.
Keep this therefore perpetually in your Heart, which contains in it all things elſe. Love the Lord your God, and love your Neighbour; and you have done all you need to do: for all is included in this: You will not be wanting in your Duty to either of them, if you heartily Love them.
SECT. III.
My next Advice ſhall be in the words of the bleſſed Apoſtle St. Paul, (who hath left us a wonderful Example, of moſt tender affection to mens Souls, read 1 Theſ. 2, 7, 8, 11.) Whatſoever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jeſus, giving thanks unto God and the Father by him. III Coloſſ. 17. That is, when you are going to perform any part of your Office, pray him to be preſent with you, and aſſiſt you. So St. Chryſoſtom (and out of him Theophylact) Expounds theſe words, in the Name of Chriſt, foreign, calling upon him to be thy Helper, foreign; First making thy prayer to him, and ſo go about thy buſineſs. When you put on your Surplice, for inſtance, think with your ſelves that you are going to offer up the Prayers of the People to God, in the Name of Jeſus Christ: And then with what Solemnity, with what Reverence will you perform that Sacred Office? Eſpecially when you have beſought him to be with you, and believe that he is nigh to all them that call upon him in Truth. In like manner when you go up into the Pulpit; conſider with your ſelves, that you are going to ſpeak in the Name of Chriſt, unto his People; beſeeching him to aſſiſt you, and to carry home the Truths you ſhall deliver to their Hearts and Conſciences. For dexteriùs loquentur cùm hominibus, qui prius tota mente cum Deo fuerunt collocuti, as Eraſmus excellently ſpeaks, they will ſpeak with Men more dextrouſly, who have firſt of all, with their whole Soul, ſpoken with God. The like I might ſay, of other parts of your Duty, which will then be moſt ſucceſsfully diſcharged; when you have engaged our Lord by ſolemn Prayer to him, to go along with you, and accompany you.
Theodoret hath another interpretation, or rather a further improvement of the ſenſe of theſe words: which is this, adorn all your words and actions, foreign, with the remembrance of the Lord Chriſt. That is, haveing invoked his bleſſed preſence to be with you, think what he would do, how he would behave himſelf, and with what Spirit he would perform ſuch things, as you are going about. For example, when you are going to compoſe a Sermon, it would be of great uſe and efficacy, if you would think with your ſelves, what Chriſt would ſay to your People, if he were to ſpeak to them; what he would require of them; with what Motives he would excite them; and what Compaſſion he would expreſs to their Souls. It would be inpoſſible then, for any Man, if he had Chriſt in his mind, to ſay any thing, but what he hath well conſidered, and will tend to make Men good. He will not Preach for his own glory, but for the glory of Chriſt: purſuing things profitable, rather than plauſible; not affecting in his diſcourſe lenocinia ſed remedia, ſuch things as may tickle the ears of idle People, but ſuch as will cure their Diſeaſes and Diſtempers. They are the Words of Salvian in his Preface to his Book de Gubernatione Dei. Which are agreeable to the old Rule, which Ritterſhuſius there mentions foreign. Give me not Spruce things, but ſuch as the City needs.
They that interpret the words to this ſenſe, be ſo mindful of Chriſt, that you do nothing indecorous, nothing unbeſeeming the relation you have to him, nothing that may diſhonour him; differ not much from the former. And therefore I conclude this Advice as the Apoſtle doth his Admonition: As we ought to begin every thing with a devout remembrance of Chriſt, whoſe bleſſing upon us, we ought to implore; ſo we ought to end all by giving thanks to God through him. That's as acceptable to him as our Prayers; nay, is a powerful Prayer for more of his Grace. For none are ſo likely to receive more as thoſe who thankfully acknowledge what they have received already. And therefore let all your doings, be thus begun and ended, in the Name of Chriſt. Whereby you will be preſerved in his Love and Favour; and partake ſtill more of his grace.
SECT. IV.
Eſpecially if you do all this in Sincerity of heart. Which is that good Soil, wherein, if the Seed of the Word be not ſown and received, it brings forth no Fruit to Perfection: and which our Saviour more particularly required in his Apoſtles, who were to ſow that good Seed in Mens hearts. Such Perſons, it is manifeſt, he ſought for, as were plain, ſimple, and honeſt hearted: having no worldly end to ſerve, but wholly bent to know the way to Eternal Salvation. Andrew and Peter who were firſt called to follow him, it is evident, were of this Spirit; for they left all they had to attend him: and next to them Philip, who finding Nathaniel, and telling him they had found the MESSIAH Jeſus of Nazareth, to whom he pray'd him to go along with him; as ſoon as our Saviour ſaw him, he ſaid (to ſhew what kind of Men he delighted in) Behold an Iſraelite indeed, in whom is no guile, I John 47. which was a ſurpriſing Character of him, after Nathaniel had made this objection againſt our Saviour, can any good thing come out of Nazareth? But, as Theophylact well obſerves, thoſe were not foreign words of unbelief: but foreign of a mind that accurately weighed things, and was well ſtudied in the Law: which taught him that Chriſt was to come out of Bethleem in Judaea, not out of Nazareth in Galilee. By this our Saviour judged of his Sincerity, which appeared alſo, in that, notwithſtanding this ſeeming prejudice, he went along with Philip to be better informed of our Saviour.
This is one great part of that Sincerity, which I am now recommending to you: to have your minds free from the power of Prejudice and partial Affections; being deſirous only to know the truth, and underſtand what the will of the Lord is. So St. Chryſoſtom upon theſe words foreign. His judgment was uncorrupt and unbyaſſed, and pronounced nothing either out of Favour and Affection, or out of diſlike and hatred.
Another token of which Sincerity there follows: in that after this high commendation which our Lord gave him, he was not at all elated by it, nor ran away with theſe Encomiums, (as the ſame Father ſpeaks) foreign, &c. but continues enquiring, and ſearching more exactly: being deſirous of this alone to be more perfectly ſatisfied in the Truth. As he was upon his next Queſtion, and our Saviour's Anſwer to it.
By this is appears that ſincerity of heart is the beſt Diſpoſition to underſtand the mind of Chriſt, and to be employ'd by him in the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, as the Apoſtles were. Who had regard to Nothing in this World; but only to the Glory of God, and the Salvation of Men: in which alſo they found the higheſt Satisfaction, or rather Rejoycing and Glorying. For ſo St. Paul ſaith, 2 Corinth. I. 12. Our rejoycing (or glorying, or boaſting) is this, the Teſtimony of our Conſcience, that in ſimplicity, and Godly ſincerity, &c. We have our Converſation in the World. He ſerved our Lord, that is, with pure intention: deſigning nothing but to win Souls to him, by delivering his mind ſincerely to them: and ſeeking no greater Satisfaction, than to have it believed and obeyed. foreign, &c. as St. Chryſoſtom gloſſes on thoſe words, There was nothing deceitful in him; No Hypocriſy, no Simulation, no Flattery, no Craft or Fraud, or any thing of that kind: but he acted with all freedom, in Simplicity, in Truth, in … pure, uncorrupt Judgment, and clear intention: having nothing concealed and hidden undernaeth, nothing rotten at the bottom. Thus he explains himſelf in the Second Chapter of the Firſt Epiſtle to the Theſſalonians v. 3, 4, 5. For our Exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanneſs, nor of guile: But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Goſpel, even ſo we ſpeak; not as pleaſing Men, but God, which trieth our hearts. For neither at any time uſed we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetouſneſs, God is witneſs. Nor of men ſought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others.
This admirable Spirit let us imitate; endeavouring after ſuch a degree of this Vertue, as to be glad if Men could look into our Hearts, and ſee our ſecret intentions and deſigns; as we are ſure God doth. Who as he is witneſs to them (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) ſo will judge us according to our uprightneſs and integrity in ſeeking to do him honour, and to promote the Salvation of Souls.
Thus the Fathers of the Church, particularly St. Gregory Nazianzen, diſtinguiſh a Political Chriſtian, from a Spiritual. foreign, &c. A Political Perſon, or a Man of this Worlds buſineſs, is to do and to ſay all things whereby he may do himſelf credit, and be honoured by others: deſigning no happineſs, beyond this preſent Life. But a Spiritual Mans buſineſs, is to take care of his Salvation: and highly to eſteem what contributes unto that, but to look upon that which doth not, as nothing worth. In ſhort, To eſteem thoſe things above all others, foreign, &c. By which he himſelf may be made moſt worth; and he may draw others by himſelf, to the best and moſt excellent things. Orat. XIX. p. 300.
SECT. V.
There are ſome other qualities, that make up the Character of a good Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt: of which I have not room, in this little Treatiſe, particularly to diſcourſe. For he ought to ſerve the Lord with all humility of mind, XX Acts 19. with Patience alſo, 2 Tim. II. 24. and with Meekneſs, 2 Tim. II. 25. All which St. Paul hath commended to us, together with the foregoing qualities, in that admirable deſcription he makes of himſelf. 2 Corinth. VI. 3, 4, 5, 6. &c. which was part of the Epiſtle, I obſerved, for the Firſt Sunday in Lent. Where he firſt of all ſaith, that they took care, to give no offence in any thing, that the Miniſtry might not be blamed. Of which I ſhall briefly ſpeak a little, when I have firſt laid before you what follows. But in all things approving our ſelves as the Miniſters of God. Not merely ſhewing themſelves, (ſaith Oecumenius on the place) but more than that approving, or commending themſelves: which ſignifies a demonſtration foreign by real Works and Deeds, to be truly Chriſt's Miniſters. Which demonſtration, ſaith he, they gave firſt of all foreign in Patience; nay, he adds much Patience foreign generouſly bearing all that was ſaid of them; that is, Mens Cenſures, Reproaches, and Calumnies: yea, and all the ſufferings and miſeries, they pleaſed to heap upon them: Which he expreſſes in the next words, in afflictions, in neceſſities, in diſtreſſes, in ſtripes, in impriſonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in faſtings. Upon which I cannot enlarge; nor upon what he ſaith of their Pureneſs and Knowledge (i. e. their Divine Wiſdom, whereby they approved themſelves God's Miniſters, not by Humane Philoſophy as the ſame Oecumenius expounds it) and all the reſt. But only take Notice of what he ſaith, v. 7. by the armour of righteouſneſs on the Right hand, and on the Left. As if he had ſaid, would ye know how we come to perform ſuch things (as the ſame Author expounds it) give ear then to what follows; it was by being armed on both ſides, on the right, and on the left; which are not ſo contrary, but the Armour of Righteouſneſs fitted both. By the right hand, ſaith he, the Apoſtle underſtands foreign, proſperous things, ſuch as honour and eſteem among Men; which did not make us ſwell, nor puff us up with Vain Glory: and therefore were the Armour or Weapons of Righteouſneſs. On the left hand, were the things contrary to theſe, Temptations, Perſecutions, Reproaches, and Injuries; by which we were not dejected nor caſt down; as by the other we were not elated. As if he had ſaid in other words, foreign neither lifted up by good things, nor diſheartned by evil. A proof of which immediately follows, by honour and by diſhonour, by evil report and good report. In which words ſaith that Author, he recounts the right hand, and the left hand things. And in this Spirit, we ought to ſerve the Lord Chriſt: not minding the vain praiſe of Men, nor their diſpraiſe: but only endeavouring to approve our ſelves to our Bleſſed Lord and Maſter, with an equal mind in all Conditions.
Before I end this, I cannot but a little reflect upon thoſe words, wherewith the Apoſtle begins this diſcourſe, giving no offence in any thing, that the Miniſtry be not blamed. Which admoniſhes us cautiouſly to avoid every thing at which Men may take juſt exception, for this very reaſon: leaſt the Goſpel of Chriſt ſhould be hindred; and our fault be laid upon our Religion.
There is a remarkable Precept to this purpoſe, which the Apoſtle gives both to Timothy and to Titus. 1 Tim. IV. 12. II Tit. 15. Let no Man deſpiſe thee. Which ſome may fancy (as Theodoret obſerves) to be a command belonging to others rather than to us: who cannot hinder Mens deſpiſals. But that's a miſtake, in the Apoſtles opinion, who would have Timothy to know, that he who commands and teaches others may preſerve himſelf from contempt by this means (though he was a young Man) foreign, &c. Be thou a living Law, ſhow in thy ſelf the perfect work of the Law; lead ſuch a life as will bear witneſs to thy words. Which life he deſcribes in the words immediately following, be thou an example of the Believers, in Word, in Converſation, in Charity, in Spirit, in Faith, in Purity. He that thus makes himſelf foreign (as Oecumenius expreſſes it) as it were a living Image and Rule of a good Life, will preſerve himſelf from contempt; and not loſe but maintain his Authority.
To conclude this; there is nothing the Devil more deſires and endeavours than to alienate the hearts of the People from their Miniſters: and therefore they ſhould take the greateſt care to do nothing that may give the leaſt occaſion of it. And here I cannot forbear to mind you of one thing, which hath given no ſmall Scandal: which is, the not keeping your Houſes, and that part of the Houſe of God, which belongs to the care of ſome Miniſters, in good Repair, and leaving them ſo to their Succeſſors. This argues a very careleſs, or covetous, ſordid Spirit; minding nothing but a Mans ſelf, and the preſent World, and having no conſideration of the future.
I hope I need not exhort you to obſerve the LXXV Canon of our Church: which requires you not to reſort to any Taverns or Ale houſes at any time, other than for your honeſt neceſſities, &c. Which occaſions cannot be frequent, nor of any long continuance. I ſhall only tell you that Julian the Apoſtate, in his famous Letter to Arſacius the High Prieſt of the Pagan Religion in Galatia, having commended the Exemplary Charity of Chriſtians, to the imitation of his Prieſts, adds (after ſome other good Admonitions of governing their Families well) foreign, &c. Exhort a Prieſt, that he neither go into the Theatre, nor drink in a Tavern; nor exerciſe any baſe or ignominoius art. Honour thoſe that obey theſe Orders, and put the diſobedient out of their Office. Fpiſt. XLIX. This ſhowes how ſenſible he was of the neceſſity of the Apoſtolical Precept, that he who miniſtred to God, ſhould have a good report of them which are without. i. e. are not of his Religion. 1 Tim. III. 7.
To Conclude, think often what an honour it is to ſerve the Lord Jeſus; and what Care he took of his Flock: How invaluable the Souls of Men are, which he purchaſed with his Blood. What an ineſtimable Treaſure the Goſpel of Chriſt is, wherewith you are intruſted: in what an high Station God hath placed you: and then you will never ſubmit to ſo much as any mean Action; but do ſuch things as may procure you eſteem; or at leaſt prevent contempt.
And to keep this Good Spirit in you, which I have deſcribed, it would be of ſingular Uſe to read every Lord's day (at leaſt every Ordination Sunday) the Vows and Promiſes you made when you were admitted into Holy Orders: Which are ſo Solemn, that it is impoſſible not to be moved by them, if they be not merely read, but ſeriouſly weighed and conſidered.
Theſe Inſtructions I have Written in the midſt of great variety of Buſineſs, and with many interruptions; which may make them defective in many Particulars, and leſs accurate than they might otherwiſe have been: But what they want in that, will be made up, I hope, by the ſincere deſire I have to do good, and by the Grace of God accompanying all honeſt endeavours. Unto which Grace I moſt heartily commend you; and reſt,
Your Affectionate Brother, Sy. Elienſ. March 19. 1697.