SERMON BY THE REV. J. P. ALCOCK. No. 123.] [Price 3d. THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 1833. A Sermon, DELIVERED BY THE REV. JOHN PRICE ALCOCK, B.A. CURATE. IN THE PARISH CHURCH OF OLFORD, KENT, OCTOBER 7, 1832. me. Ezekiel, xxxiii. 7, 8, 9.—“Go thou, O 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 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way, to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul." IN various parts of Scripture the minister of the Gospel is described as a person who has a most responsible and important trust committed to his charge, and for the manner in which he has performed the awful duties of that sacred trust, he will hereafter be called to give an account, before the tribunal of that Saviour, whose Gospel he has been appointed to preach; and woe unutterable will be his lot in that dread day, if he does not preach the Gospel and diligently labour for the everlasting salvation of those over whom he has been appointed overseer. In one part of Scripture he is described as a shepherd, who is commanded to feed his sheep in good pasture, to watch over and to protect them, to do all in his power to keep his flock together, and prevent their being scattered abroad, and to defend them from wild and ravenous beasts, which might strive to enter his fold and destroy them. And, what is the consequence, if they VOL. V. neglect to do this if he permit his flock to wander where they please, without striving to bring them back to the fold from which they have strayed, their Heavenly Father's fold, where alone they can find good pasture, and refresh their weary souls with the waters of comfort? Hear the threatenings of the Lord upon the shepherds, who neglect to watch over their flocks. "Woe be unto the pastors, who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people, ye have scattered my flock and driven them away, and have not visited them, behold I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord." And again, "O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord, thus saith the Lord God, behold I am against the shepherds, and will require the flock at their hands, and will cause them to cease from feeding the flock." In the passage which I M "Woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel." have brought forward for our serious | minister can read it, without being meditation this afternoon, the mi-constrained to cry out with St. Paul, nister is described as a watchman, appointed to warn his people of their dangers, to declare unto them the word of the Lord: to instruct, exhort, and rebuke, as occasion may require and as opportunity may offer. If he see the wicked man walking in the broad paths leading to destructionto the everlasting destruction of his soul, regardless of God who created him, and the Saviour who died for him-is the watchman to slumber at his post, without warning that wicked man of his error, and without striving to turn his wandering feet into the way of peace? No, my brethren! His own worldly ease and comfort might indeed tell him to be silent, or to speak only smooth things and prophecy deceits. Worldly prudence might indeed whisper, if you would live comfortably and happily, let the wicked pursue his way, for he will only deride your message, despise your advice, and become your enemy, if you beseech him to turn from the destructive paths in which he is now wandering. Such would be the whisperings of worldly ease, worldly comfort, and worldly prudence; and did the minister of the Gospel regard his worldly comfort alone, he would indeed be silent. But what says the unerring word of that Almighty God, whose gospel he is commanded to preach? "When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die, if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hands. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul." Awful responsibility! what minister can read it without feeling his spirit stirred within him? What The christian minister, who thus feels the awful responsibility of the station in which the Almighty has placed him, seriously considers how he may best perform the sacred duties of his office, to the greatest advantage of those who are committed to his charge. On the Sabbath he meets a part of his flock in the house of God, and there it is his humble endeavour to declare to them, to the best of his ability, the whole counsel of God-to preach Jesus Christ and him crucified. It is then he is to exercise his commission as an ambassador for Christ, and to beseech them in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God, who is ever ready to forgive their transgressions and to blot out their iniquities. It is then that he is required to declare (in language that may be understood by all) the truth as it is in Jesus, and to unfold the great plan of salvation for fallen man through a lively faith in a crucified Redeemer. But he is also to teach, that although a man is justified by faith without the works of the Jewish law, yet a true and lively faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can only be shewn by a godly, righteous, and sober life. He will shew the Sabbath breaker, the vulgar talker, the profane swearer, the drunkard, the man of pleasure and the dishonest, that their lives and actions do not agree with the gospel of that Saviour in whom they profess to believe, that they are in fact travelling the broad road which is hastening them to destruction, that their faith is vain, because it is unproductive of good living; and that if they do not change the course of life they are now pursuing, and pray to God for his assisting grace to enable them to walk according to his will, and to frame their lives by the precepts contained in the gospel | eternal reward and not from man. of his Son, they will hereafter find In the Holy Scriptures he finds comtheir profession of faith in Christ will fort in every distress and a solace for be of no avail in that dreadful day, every care. He remembers the when they must before an assembled words of the most high GOD, “Son universe, give an account of their of man, I have made thee a watchman most secret deeds, and receive sentence unto the house of Israel, therefore for the same from the just and righte- hear the word at my mouth and give ous Judge of all the earth. them warning from me-Speak my words unto them whether they will hear or whether they will forbear." Having received this commandment the Christian minister must not fear to preach Christ crucified, though to some it be a stumbling block, and to others foolishness. Those who will have none of his counsel, and despise all his reproof, he must pity; and pray for them, if by any means GoD will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. But let not the Christian minister, although his every hope and wish, and prayer may be for the salvation of his flock, expect to please all, even in the performance of his duties on the Sabbath. Why were the Galatians offended with St. Paul although he was but a short time before so beloved by them, that if it had been possible, they would have plucked out their eyes and have given them to him? They were offended with him because he had reproved them for their errors and had told them the truth. Such was the discouragement and ingratitude St. Paul met with, who laboured more abundantly than any other man, to spread the pure and life-giving doctrines of his Saviour. Let not then the minister of the present day be discouraged when he meets with similar conduct. As in those days, so also now, to some the plain truth will be unpleasant, and will give offence, and from vulgar ignorance, it may call forth abuse. But the testimony of a good conscience will overbalance these evils. Although some may for good wishes and good intentions shew ingratitude and disrespect, yet must he fearlessly persevere. He has put his hand to the plough, and he must not think of looking back. Through evil report and good report, he must earnestly endeavour faithful-fold of their Heavenly Father; in ly to perform the sacred duties of his station. It is GOD whom he is to strive to obey, and not man-it is GOD whom he is to strive to please, rather than man-and it is GOD from whom he is hereafter to receive his Thus far I have treated of the Sabbath duties of the parish priest, but they by no means end here. "He understands but little of the nature and obligation of the priestly office,” says Bishop Burnet, "who thinks he has discharged it by performing the public appointments." The duties which he has publicly to perform in the church, are indeed of vast importance, and duties which require the greatest care and attention for their faithful discharge, but they are by no means all, nor yet the greatest duties he has to attend to. He is the shepherd appointed to watch over and attend to the wants and wishes of his flock; and to use every means in his power to prevent their straying into the broad and delusive paths of sin, and to direct them by the gospel's sacred light and joyful sound, to the seeking which they will not only find real and lasting comfort even in this life, but the possession of it will be their unspeakable bliss through the long and countless ages of eternity. The shepherd who really wishes for the everlasting happiness of his flock ❘ to do it, and he must not shrink from will not be content with attending to them on one day of the week only. On the other six, he will be ready, and will indeed consider it his bounden duty to watch over and visit them, to call back the wandering, to restrain the wayward, and with all meekness, patience, and good will to instruct those who oppose themselves and are enemies to their own happiness. But here, also, the minister must expect his good intentions and good wishes spoken against, and himself perhaps treated with ridicule. By one he will be called 'troublesome and interfering, 'I don't want his warning and advice,' will say a second; and a third will exclaim, 'Let him attend to his own business, and not mine; I shall go to church, or stay away just as I please.' But, my brethren! by whom will such remarks be made? Not by the good and virtuous-not by the holy and religious-not by those who are endeavouring to lead a Christian life, and with humble prayer for assisting grace, are striving to do their duty towards God and man; but by those who are constantly and wilfully breaking the commandments of GOD, by those who are walking in the ways of their wicked and corrupt heart, and in the sight of their eyes, regardless of the Saviour who died for sinners, and despising his holy gospel, which | alone is able to turn them from the paths of wickedness and misery, and to guide their feet into the way of everlasting peace. it through fear of giving offence. He has undertaken the most responsible office that falls to the lot of man, and to enable him faithfully to perform his duties, he has constant need of help from on high, and constant need of prayer to Almighty God to direct him aright by the influence of his Holy Spirit. He must constantly act up to the advice which St. Paul gave to Timothy, his son in the faith. "Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine;" and he must ever remember that upon the faithful discharge of his sacred ministry, his own everlasting happiness depends-"Son of man, if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hand." Is then the minister to abstain from visiting his parishioners, because his advice may be displeasing to the atheist, the freethinker, the libertine, the drunkard, the sabbath-breaker, and the profane? By no means. It is indeed at all times an unpleasant task to tell a man of his faults, and to ask him to reform his ways, but it is the minister's duty, his bounden duty But when is the Christian minister to warn the wicked from his way? Is it at church only on the Sabbath day? My brethren, this is, generally speaking, impossible. Seldom do the Sabbath-breaker, or the drunkard come within these sacred walls, the atheist and free-thinker never. Such men despise the goodness of Almighty God, and never think of thanking Him for the many blessings they are daily receiving at his hands. The Sabbath instead of being made a day of holy rest, and devoted to the service of God, is by them spent, if possible, worse than any other day of the week. On the Sabbath he cannot warn them to turn from the wickedness of their ways, and with true and lively faith to seek the Lord Jesus Christ. He must therefore (however painful the task) introduce these subjects when opportunity is afforded him, and beseech them as they hope for everlasting happiness to forsake their wicked course of life, and with hearty sorrow for past sins, humbly seek that God, who through the intercession of his Son Jesus Christ, is ever ready to accept the repentant sinner. If they will not listen to his counsel, if they despise his advice, he will indeed deeply lament their conduct, but he cannot help it, and they must abide by the consequences. He has obeyed the commands of his Divine Master, he has warned the wicked of his way to turn from ithe has removed the responsibility from his own shoulders. And if they still refuse to repent and turn to the knowledge of the truth, in the last great day, when we shall be judged according to our works, they must expect the dreadful sentence of that wicked servant who knew his Lord's will but refused to do it, and must for ever have their bitter portion with the unbelieverз. I have thus endeavoured (as far as time will permit), to show you plainly the duties of a parish priest. I have been induced to do so, because some are displeased with what they choose to call the interference of a minister, because in truth they do not know wherein his duty consists. I would ask persons of this description these simple questious.-For whose benefit is it, that a clergyman is at the pains to go among his parishioners, and talk and advise with them? For whose benefit is it, that he wishes them regularly to attend the public service of their church, and to keep holy the Sabbath day? For whose benefit is it that he endeavours to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the LORD? For whose benefit is it that he visits the bed of sickness, and consoles the afflicted and dying? Is it for their good or his own? Surely the answer which all must be compelled to give, will shew the folly, the unreasonableness, and I may say the ingratitude of those who are offended with a clergyman for striving to do his duty. My brethren, let me beseech each of you seriously to consider the words of the text, and indeed the whole chapter from whence they are taken, and I think you will then agree with me, that the office of a minister of the Gospel is one of the most awful responsibility-that when he has done all, he can only say, "I am an unprofitable servant, I have done that which was my duty to do;" and that he constantly needs his own and the prayers and supplications of his hearers" that utterance may be given unto him, that he may open his mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel; that therein he may speak boldly, as he ought to speak."— Amen. |