TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.
more suitable to their great capacities, they leave their station for one more full of dangers, without any prospect of being more serviceable to God or to His Church, and the souls of men; not considering that this is the voice of pride, self-love, and covetousness, and an evil example to others, to whom we do, or should, preach humility, as the very foundation of Christianity.
The greater share we have in the authority of Jesus Christ, the greater must we expect to have in His suflferings; the cross being the reward of faithful pastors.
To leave a clergy and a people to whom one is perfectly well known, to go to another to whom one is a stranger, and this for the sake of riches, which are supposed to have been renounced,—this was unknown to the first ages of Christianity.
He is but the vain image of a Pastor, an idle shepherd, who chooses to abandon his flock, and leave them to the conduct of those who have no concern for them, and entrust the salvation of those souls to others, for whom he himself is responsible to God. He may be learned, he may be employed, &c. but he cannot be a good shepherd……
Church Government.
Col. iv. 5. "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time." Prudence is very necessary in dangerous times; it being no small fault to give occasion to the raising of storms against the Church and her ministers, for want of having a due regard to the times and to the passions of carnal men.…
Matt. xx. 26, 27. "Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister." God give me a true and prudent humility; to have nothing of the air of secular governors, to attend the flock of Christ as a servant, to look on Him as my pattern, to study His conduct and spirit, to spend and be spent for my flock, that I may never desire to increase my burden, that I may be better qualified to be ministered unto, and that I may never strive to live at ease, in plenty, in luxury, repose, and independence. Amen.
The name of a servant ought to be esteemed honourable to the
