SERMON XXV.

CARE OF A GOOD PASTOR FOR HIS PEOPLE.

FUNERAL OF REV. JOHN CLEAVELAND, A. M., WRENTHAM, NORTH PARISH, WHO DIED FEBRUARY 1, 1815, AGED 65.

FOR I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state,-PHIL. ii, 20.

THOUGH Paul was now a prisoner at Rome, yet he felt such a tender regard for the Philippians, that he proposed to send a friend of his and of theirs to inquire into their spiritual concerns, and to inform him whether they were growing or declining christians. And in order to prepare them to receive his messengers cordially, and to open their minds to him freely and without reserve, he mentions his name; and, by one masterly stroke, he draws his whole ministerial character in miniature. He says, "I trust in the Lord Jesus, to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state. For I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. But ye know the proof of him, that as a son with the father he hath served with me in the gospel. Him, therefore, I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me." The apostle does not mean to insinuate, by the comparison he makes between Timothy and other ministers, that they were totally destitute of piety, and benevolence; but only to represent the brightest trait in Timothy's character, in a very strong and striking light. Though Timothy had many ministerial gifts and qualifications, yet that which principally adorned and beautified his character, was his peculiar concern for the good of souls. In this important

point, in which ministers are so apt to fail, he greatly excelled. It seemed to be as natural for him to seek the good of others, as it was natural for others to seek their own good. This, we may presume, was the apostle's meaning in drawing the character of Timothy. And according to this construction of the text, it suggests a truth very proper to be considered and applied on the present solemn occasion. It is this:

That every good minister feels a tender concern for the good of his people.

I shall endeavor to show that this is true, and why it is true, of every good minister.

I. I am to show that every good minister feels a tender concern for the good of his people.

Every good minister is a good man. He possesses a spirit of pure benevolence to all mankind. Good ministers, like all other good men, have experienced a saving change. Their stony hearts have been taken away by the special influence of the Divine Spirit, and tender, benevolent, feeling hearts have been given them. True benevolence always disposes men to love others as they love themselves, and to seek the good of others as they seek their own good. As this spirit reigns in the heart of every good minister, so he naturally feels a tender concern for the good of his people. While Paul was under the entire dominion of selfishness, he sought his own things, and violently opposed the things of Jesus Christ; but when the love of God was shed abroad in his heart, he preferred the cause of Christ and the good of souls to every personal interest. "Brethren," says he to the Romans, "my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." With this benevolent language the heart of every good minister readily accords; but he expresses his ardent desire for the salvation of others in much stronger terms. "I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." The sincerity of these desires he sufficiently confirmed through the whole course of his ministerial life. He cheerfully sacrificed his ease, his interest, his reputation, and every earthly enjoyment, to carry the gospel round the world, and promote the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles. He also tells us that Timothy was like minded, and felt the same tender concern for the good of souls. There is no doubt but the apostles and primitive preachers of the gospel had a larger portion of love, and zeal, and fortitude, and self denial, than even their pious successors have generally possessed; but we must believe that

every godly minister has such a sincere concern for the good of his people that he would, if called to the trial, sacrifice every personal interest, to promote their spiritual and everlasting benefit. The spirit of benevolence is the spirit of a martyr, and knows no bounds to self denial. It will give up any inferior for a superior good. The state of the Christian world is very different now from what it has been, and from what it may be again, in times to come. Few ministers now are called to make the same sacrifices of personal interest for the good of their people and the cause of Christ, that some of their fathers in this country were called to make. Many pious ministers at this day, however, do make such sacrifices of personal interest, as to leave no room to doubt but that they would freely give up all, for the honor of Christ and the salvation of souls, if their duty required it. They display the same spirit, though not to the same degree, that the apostles and primitive preachers of the gospel displayed, in all their trials and sufferings in the cause of Christ. But whether ministers in general do or do not discover so much benevolence as their duty requires, and as the times give them opportunities to discover; yet it is certain, that all those who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity, carry their people upon their hearts, and feel deeply concerned for their spiritual and eternal good. This leads me to inquire,

II. Why this is true of every good minister. Here several obvious and weighty reasons occur, why a faithful minister naturally feels a tender concern for the good of his people.

In the first place: He realizes that God has committed them into his hands, and, for a time, suspended their present and future good upon his care and fidelity. When God confides this sacred and solemn trust to a minister, he virtually says to him, as he said to Ezekiel, "Son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me." This solemn consideration lies with continual weight upon the mind of every faithful minister, and serves to fix his eyes and his heart upon the people whom God has committed to his particular care. Though he wishes well to every religious society, still he feels a stronger obligation to take peculiar care of his own flock, over which the Holy Ghost has made him an overseer. While he obeys the divine command in watching over his people and feeding them with knowledge and understanding, he naturally feels a strong and warm attachment to their spiritual and eternal interests.

Secondly: A faithful minister feels a tender concern for the good of his people, because they have freely and voluntarily committed themselves to his pastoral watch and care. It is one

of the most invaluable and unalienable rights of a religious society, to choose their own minister. And when they exercise this right, and freely choose a certain man to carry on the sacred work of the ministry among them, they pay great respect to him, and place great confidence in his fidelity. They justly expect, that he will naturally care for their state, and watch for their souls, as one who must give account; and a good minister cannot resist the force and obligation of these endearing motives to pastoral fidelity. The trust they have reposed in him, appears as important to him, as to them; and his concern for them is greater than their concern for themselves. He knows, better than they do, what tends to promote, or to obstruct their spiritual good; and feels a deep concern for them, when they imagine he has no occasion for the least anxiety or solicitude on their account. He feels concerned to instruct those, who do not wish to be instructed; to admonish those, who do not wish to be admonished; to reform those, who do not wish to be reformed; to guide those, who do not wish to be guided; to restrain those, who do not wish to be restrained; and to save those, who do not wish to be saved. Whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, he feels himself bound to care for their spiritual state, and faithfully discharge every ministerial duty towards them. He is willing to spend, and to be spent for them, though the more abundantly he loves them, the less he be loved. Though some may wish, that he would relax his care and concern for them; yet this, instead of weakening, serves to increase his desires and exertions to promote the spiritual interests of all his people, who have placed so much confidence in his fidelity as to commit themselves to his pastoral watch and instruction. Like Paul, he can sincerely say to his flock, "Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all."

Thirdly: A pious minister feels a tender concern for his people, because he freely and solemnly engages to be their spiritual guide and watchman. He takes the oversight of his flock, "not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind." He cheerfully devotes his time, his talents, his interests, and his influence, to the service of his people. His concern for their highest good is paramouut to all his own private and personal concerns. He knows the worth of his own soul in the view of eternity, and he views his people in the same solemn and interesting light. He realizes that every soul which he has taken charge of, is worth more than the whole material world. This creates a deep and tender concern, lest any individual of his flock should perish through his unfaithfulness or neglect. He means to serve his people, rather than

himself. This Paul sincerely resolved to do. He says to christians, "Though I be free from all men, yet I have made myself servant to all." Again he says, "We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." And farthermore he says, "I seek not yours, but you." Every faithful minister is like minded, and considers himself as the servant of his people; and feels bound by his own voluntary vows and engagements, to guide every man, to teach every man, and to warn every man, that he may, if possible, present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. But the more solicitous he is to serve his people, and fulfil his own obligations to them, the more he is concerned, lest he should labor in vain, and spend his strength for nought and in vain. He knows that he must be to them, a savor of life unto life, or a savor of death unto death. This is a concern, which the apostle represents as too great for human strength to bear; for he asks, "Who is sufficient for these things?" It made the prophet weep in secret places, and it has drawn tears from the eyes, and sighs from the heart of many a faithful minister; who could not endure the thought of being instrumental of destroying those, whom he ardently desired and endeavored to save. Those who of choice take the charge of precious and immortal souls, continually carry upon their minds a weight of cares superior to that of any other men.

Fourthly: Every good minister feels a tender concern for the good of his people, because he knows that his interest is inseparably connected with theirs. The spiritual and important relation between him and his people, creates a mutual and inseparable connection between their spiritual and eternal interests and his. He therefore as naturally cares for their spiritual good, as for his own. Whatever he does sincerely to promote their spiritual benefit, will eventually promote his own spiritual benefit. This pleasing consideration had great influence upon the apostle Paul; and fired his breast with peculiar zeal and fortitude, in all his efforts and sufferings to promote the salvation of those, to whom he preached the saving truths of the gospel. He often mentioned this consoling and animating motive. To the Corinthians he said, "As ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus." To the Philippians he said, "My brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord." "Do all things without murmurings and disputings, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice