Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

TO

THE VENERABLE THE ARCHDEACON OF DERBY,

AND THE

REVEREND THE CLERGY ASSEMBLED AT THE VISITATION,

HELD IN ASHBOURN

ON THE TWENTY-THIRD OF JUNE,

THE

Following Discourse,

THEN DELIVERED before THEM, AND NOW PUBLISHED BY REQUEST,

[blocks in formation]

A SERMO N.

I TIMOTHY C. 4, v. 16.

"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee."

SUCH was the exhortation addressed by the Apostle Paul to one, whom in the language of christian affection, and as having been the honoured instrument of his conversion, he calls his "dearly beloved Son;" his "own Son in the faith."

This youthful disciple and convert of the Apostle's, became also his fellow labourer in the work of the ministry; and the admonition before us is addressed to him specifically in that character, as a minister of the Gospel of Christ. But it is addressed not to Timothy only, but to all in every age, who are called to sustain the same high and holy office. Our ministry is essentially the same now that it was then; the same in its Divine Author; the same in its object; the same in the qualifications needful for the right discharge of its duties; the same in the awful responsibility that belongs to the sacred office itself. "I send thee," said the great Head of the Church to his servant Paul, (Acts 26, 17.) "I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith, that is in me." Such was the commission given to the Apostle Paul, and such, in fact, is the commission given to his successors in

the Christian Ministry to the end of time. To us is committed this same word of reconciliation; to us is the same charge given, "preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine;" the same exhortation, "take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine, continue in them,"-enforced by the same encouraging motive, "for in doing this, thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee."

But "who is sufficient for these things?" Which of us, in looking within, and enquiring into the resources with which he is furnished for the right performance of such a commission as this, but must be constrained to cry" who am I, that the Lord should send me;" to feel his own utter insufficiency for the work; and to confess his entire dependence on a strength not his own,-a strength, which for our comfort, it is said, shall be "made perfect in our weakness," and through the power of which we are privileged to say, "I can do all things," "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." "Lo!" said he, "I am with you alway, even to the end of the world."

May He be graciously present with us at this time by His Spirit, while I endeavour, with all humility, to deduce from the words before us, such instruction, as with His blessing may quicken us to increased fidelity and zeal in the work to which He hath appointed us.

The obvious division of our text is,

I. The exhortation given to us, as Christian Ministers. II. The encouraging motive by which it is enforced.

May I beg your indulgent attention in the consideration of these two particulars.

I. The exhortation, &c.

"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them."

It is not surely without reason or meaning that the

And

Apostle addressing Timothy on the grand object of the Christian Ministry, viz., the salvation of souls, places a personal caution first in order,-"take heed unto thyself." This same Apostle had before given the same caution to the elders of the Church of Ephesus which he now gives to its presiding Minister. (Acts 20, 28.) "Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers." The charge of the flock binds the Pastor to take heed to himself. So here: "Take heed first unto thyself." "Take heed to thine own personal example ; be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (v. 12.) it is not difficult to see the intent and the wisdom of this caution. For, if it be true of Christians in general, that they are "lights to the world," and are exhorted to "let their light shine before men, that others seeing their good works, may be led to glorify our Father which is in Heaven," it is still more emphatically true of Christian Ministers. We, by virtue of our very office, as teachers of others, are as "cities set on a hill, that cannot be hid." We are not only Christians; but Christian Teachers. In a subordinate sense, it is true of us, as was said of our Divine Teacher, that we are "set," both "as Leaders and Commanders to the people." But," how," we may ask, "can he be in authority a commander, who is not in example, a leader?" The eyes of our people are upon us; and though they cannot look into our hearts, they can and do watch our conduct. The careless and unconverted among them especially, are very quick-sighted in discerning the contrarieties that exist between our preaching and our practice. Will they not be apt to regard our teaching, however holy, however excellent, but as an idle tale, which we ourselves do not believe; our ministerial office itself, but as a trade by which we seek to get our living, if the excellence and soundness of our

« ElőzőTovább »