settle themselves so

of so great a duty.

long in the constant neglect
The common cry is,
"Our

people are not ready for it; they will not bear it."
But is not the fact rather, that you will not bear
the trouble and hatred which it will occasion?
If, indeed, you proclaim our churches incapable
of the order and government of Christ, what do
you but give up the cause to them that withdraw
from us, and encourage men to look out for better
societies, where that discipline may be had? For
though preaching and sacraments may be omitted
in some cases, till a fitter season, and accordingly
so may discipline; yet it is a hard case to settle
in a constant neglect, for so many years together,
as we have done, unless there were an absolute
impossibility of the work. And if it were so,
because of our incapable materials, it would
plainly call us to alter our constitution, that the
matter may be capable. I have spoken plainly
afterwards of this, which I hope you will con-
scientiously consider of. I now only beseech you,
if you
would give a comfortable account to the
chief Shepherd, and would not be found unfaithful
in the house of God, that you do not wilfully or
negligently delay it, as if it were a needless
thing; nor shrink from it, because of the trouble
to the flesh that doth attend it; for as that is a
sad sign of hypocrisy, so the costliest duties are
usually the most comfortable; and you may be
sure that Christ will bear the cost.

My last request is, that all the faithful ministers of Christ would, without any more delay, unite and associate for the furtherance of each other in

the work of the Lord, and the maintaining of unity and concord in his churches. And that they would not neglect their brotherly meetings to those ends, nor yet spend them unprofitably, but improve them to their edification, and the effectual carrying on the work. Read that excellent letter of Edmund Grindal Archbishop of Canterbury to Queen Elizabeth, for ministerial meetings and exercises. You will find it in Fuller's History of the Church of England.

Brethren, I crave your pardon for the infirmities of this address; and earnestly longing for the success of your labours, I shall daily beg of God, that he would persuade you to those duties which I have here recommended to you, and would preserve and prosper you therein, against all the serpentine subtlety and rage that are now engaged oppose and hinder you.

to

Your unworthy Fellow-servant,

RICHARD BAXTER.

April 15, 1656.

THE REFORMED PASTOR.

ACTS XX. 28.

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

Reverend and dearly-beloved Brethren,

THOUGH Some think that Paul's exhortation to these elders doth prove him their ruler, we who are this day to speak to you from the Lord, hope that we may freely do the like, without any jealousies of such a conclusion. Though we teach our people, as officers set over them in the Lord, yet may we teach one another, as brethren in office, as well as in faith. If the people of our charge must "teach and admonish and exhort each other daily," no doubt teachers may do it to one another, without any super-eminency of power or degree. We have the same sins to mortify, and the same graces to be quickened and strengthened, as our people have: we have greater works than they have to do, and greater difficulties to overcome, and therefore we have need to be warned. and awakened, if not to be instructed, as well as they. So that I confess I think such meetings

together should be more frequent, if we had nothing else to do but this. And we should deal as plainly and closely with one another, as the most serious among us do with our flocks, lest if they only have sharp admonitions and reproofs, they only should be sound and lively in the faith. That this was Paul's judgment, I need no other proof, than this rousing, heart-melting exhortation to the Ephesian elders. A short sermon, but not soon learned! Had the bishops and teachers of the church but thoroughly learned this short exhortation, though to the neglect of many a volume which hath taken up their time, and helped them to greater applause in the world, how happy had it been for the church, and for themselves!

In further discoursing on this text, I propose to pursue the following method:

First, To consider what it is to take heed to ourselves.

Secondly, To show why we must take heed to ourselves.

Thirdly, To inquire what it is to take heed to all the flock.

Fourthly, To illustrate the manner in which we must take heed to all the flock.

Fifthly, To state some motives why we should take heed to all the flock.

Lastly, To make some application of the whole.

CHAPTER I.

THE OVERSIGHT OF OURSELVES.

SECTION 1.

THE NATURE OF THIS OVERSIGHT.

I. LET us consider, What it is to take heed to ourselves.

1. See that the work of saving grace be thoroughly wrought in your own souls. Take heed to yourselves, lest you be void of that saving grace of God which you offer to others, and be strangers to the effectual working of that gospel which you preach; and lest, while you proclaim to the world the necessity of a Saviour, your own hearts should neglect him, and you should miss of an interest in him and his saving benefits. Take heed to yourselves, lest you perish, while you call upon others to take heed of perishing; and lest you famish yourselves while you prepare food for them. Though there is a promise of shining as the stars, to those "who turn many to righteousness," that is but on supposition that they are first turned to it themselves. Their own sincerity in the faith is the condition of their glory, simply considered, though