RESOLUTION V.

I am resolved, by the grace of God, to feed the flock that God shall set me over, with wholesome food, neither starving them by idleness, poisoning with error, nor puffing them up with impertinence.

AND here I cannot but declare, that ever since I knew what it was to study, I have found by experience, 197that spiritual and intellectual pleasures do as far surpass those that are temporal and sensual, as the soul exceeds the body. And, for this reason, as I always thought the study and profession of divinity to be the noblest and most agreeable of all others, as carrying with it its own encouragement and reward; so I have often wondered with myself, that the greatest persons in the world should not be desirous and ambitious of exercising their part in the study of this necessary, as well as sublime science, and even devoting themselves to the profession of it. For, do they aspire after honour? What greater honour can there be, than to be the mouth of God to the people, and of the people unto God; to have the Most High himself, not only to speak by them, but in them too? What greater honour than to have a commission from the King of kings, to represent himself before his people, and call them, in his name, to ‘return from the error of their ways, and walk in the paths of God to everlasting glory?’ What greater honour than to be an instrument, in his hand, to bring poor souls from the gates of hell, to set them among princes in the court of heaven? Do they thirst after pleasures? What greater pleasure can they have, than to make it their business to feed themselves and others with the bread and water of life?

But stay, my soul, let not thy thoughts run only upon the dignity of thy function, and the spiritual pleasures that attend the faithful discharge of it; but think likewise upon the strict account thou must give of it in another life: the serious consideration of which, as it cannot but be a great comfort to the true and faithful pastor, who has diligently fed his flock with the ‘sincere milk of God’s 198word;’ so must it be a great terror and confusion to the slothful and negligent, the false and deceitful dispensers of the divine mysteries, who have either carelessly lost, or treacherously deluded the souls of those committed to their charge, which they must one day answer for, as well as for their own. And therefore, that nothing of this kind may be ever laid to my charge, I solemnly promise and resolve, before God, so to demean myself in the exercise of my ministerial function, as to make the care of souls, especially of those committed to my charge, the chief study and business of my life.

And that without partiality or exception, I must not single out some of the best of my flock, such as I have the highest respect for, or have received the greatest obligations from; but ‘minister to every one according to their several necessities.’ If I meet with men of knowledge and virtue, my business must be to confirm and establish them therein; if with those that are ignorant and immoral, to teach and instruct them in the ways of religion, and by all means possible, to reclaim and reduce them to the exercise of their duty; always remembering, that as the blessed Jesus, the ‘great shepherd and bishop of our souls, was not sent, save unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance;’ so it is the indispensable duty of his apostles and ministers (and by the grace of God I shall make it mine) to follow his example in this particular; to spare. no time nor pains in the reformation of sinners, though it be never so irksome and difficult to accomplish; even though I should meet with such as the prophet David speaks of, 199‘who hate to be reformed, and cast my words behind them.’ And therefore as I know it is my duty, so I shall always endeavour to take pleasure in the several offices I perform of this kind, ‘to strengthen the weak, heal the wounded, and bind up the broken heart;’ to call in those that err and go astray, and ‘seek and save them that are lost.’

To these ends, though preaching is, without doubt, a most excellent and useful, as well as necessary duty, (especially if it be performed, as it ought, with zeal and reverence, and the doctrine applied and pressed home, with sincerity of affection,) vet, I shall not think it sufficient to instruct my people only from the pulpit, but take all opportunities to instil good thoughts and principles into their minds in my private conversation. I know it is impossible for all ministers frequently to visit every particular person or family in their parish, there being, in some parishes, especially in and about London, so many thousands of souls: but, howsoever, if it should please the Lord to call me to such a flock, though I cannot visit all, I shall visit as many as I can; especially those that are sick or infirm, and be sure to feed them ‘with the sincere milk of the word,’ such as may turn to their spiritual nourishment, and make them ‘grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’ I will not fill their heads with speculative notions and niceties in divinity; (which, among the less judicious, are very often the occasion of heresy and error, and sometimes also, of delusion and distraction;) but my chief care shall be to instruct them in those necessary truths which their Christian faith indispensably obliges them to know and believe, and press them to the performance of those duties, without which 200they cannot be saved; meekly and impartially reproving the particular vices they are most inclined and addicted to, and cheerfully encouraging and improving whatever virtuous actions they are, any of them, exemplary in, and whatever good habits and inclinations the divine grace has put into their hearts.

And since love and charity is the great characteristic of our profession, the bond and cement of all other Christian duties, in order to make my ministry the more successful, I resolve, in the last place, not only to avoid all differences and disputes with them myself, but amicably to compose all such as may arise among the neighbours. In a word, I shall make it my endeavour, in all things, so to approve myself as a faithful minister, both in life and doctrine before them, that at the last day, when the great God shall call for my parish, and myself to appear before him, I may be prepared to give an account of both; at least, to answer for as many of them as he requires; and may, with joy and comfort, pronounce this sentence of my Saviour, if it may, without offence, he applied to his ministers, ‘Behold I and the children which thou hast given me.’