The Pastors Charge and the Peoples Duty, Title page – Dedication
foreign The Paſtors Charge, AND THE Peoples Duty.
A SERMON (for the moſt part) Preached at the Aſſembly of Miniſters AT EXON, June 7. 1693.
By Samuel Stoddon.
Ezek. 34.2.
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LONDON, Printed for Jonath. Robinſon in St. Paul's Church-yard; and are to be ſold by Robert Osborne Bookſeller in Exon. 1694.
TO My Reverend and Dearly Beloved Brethren, the United Miniſters of Chriſt in the County of Devon; Grace and Peace in, and from our our LORD Jeſus Chriſt.
Reverend Brethren,
IN compliance with your Affectionate Importunity, and Obedience to your Acknowledged Authority, I now humbly offer you, what few others in the World, but your ſelves could have wreſted from me. I confeſs it hath always been accounted an Ill Omen, when the Victim comes unwillingly to the Altar: But Conſcience can avouch this for me, That I have not come unwillingly to any Work, wherein I have had a proſpect of ſerving the glorious Ends of my Miniſtry. 'Twas your Ʋnanimous Vote, that laid the Injunction of this Pulpit-work upon me; to which (though conſcious of my own Ʋnfitneſs) I readily enough yielded. But when, after my utmoſt Endeavours to prevent it, you ſo irreſiſtibly deſired its Publication, I could not but be troubled. Yet not from any ſullen Averſion to the Preſs, as the Over-modeſt Humour of ſome is, that are eminently better qualified to ſerve the Churches of Chriſt that way; but from the unpreparedneſs of the Diſcourſe for Publick View, and the little Time or Strength that I have to fit it better.
It being, for the moſt part, Sermo ad Clerum; and willing to ſpeak a little, as I could, to what my Text ſo naturally directed me to, I took the liberty to offer you the bare Skeliton, without thoſe Exegetical or Inculcative Enlargements, which, in a ruder Auditory, might have been more neceſſary.
Wherefore now (not without your leave) I preſume to preſent it both to You, and to the World, in a ſecond Edition, with a few, and but a few Additions, and neceſſary Variations; whether for the better or the worſe, I cannot tell. I did once hope to have buried it in the faithful Ears and Hearts of my then preſent Auditors, and never have concerned my Pen any further about it. But ſeeing it is your pleaſure to ſend it further abroad, you have made your ſelves Sponſors with me, for all the Infirmities and Faults of it; and have given me the Confidence now, to Claim the concurrence of your Prayers; That God will pardon the many Defects, and proſper the good Deſign of it; to his own Glory, and the Spiritual Good of all thoſe, into whoſe hands it ſhall come. And which is the fervent Deſire of,
Your unworthy Brother and Fellow-Servant in the Goſpel of Chriſt, S. S. Sidbury, Auguſt 15. 1693.
THE Paſtor's Charge, AND The Peoples Duty.
John 21.15, 16, 17.
— Feed my Lambs.
— Feed my Sheep.
— Feed my Sheep.