eminence, is the beacon, not the model, for Christian elders. come The Christian elder should, even when he must 66 with a rod," as but too often is necessary, must come "in love, and in the spirit of meekness." How beautifully did Paul, though in authority, and success, and gifts, "not behind the very chiefest of the Apostles," exemplify his beloved brother Peter's precept? He did not conduct himself as a lord over God's heritage. He disowned all claim to personal lordship over their faith. He sought not glory, but when he might have used authority as an Apostle of Christ, was gentle among the disciples, even as a nurse cherisheth her children. And the servant of the Lord in every age must not be overbearing and ambitious: "he must not strive, but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing those who oppose themselves." He must never forget the words of the Master, "Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but 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, and to give his life a ransom for many."1 Instead of acting as if they were lords of God's heritage, Christian elders are to perform their duties "as ensamples to the flock." In their careful discharge of their duty to those under their care, they are to teach them by example to perform the duties which they owe them and their Lord. By being dutiful to their people, they are to teach their people to be dutiful to them. By being obedient to Christ, they are to teach them to be obedient to him. And it deserves notice, that all the duties Christian elders are called on officially to discharge, are duties which the Christian brethren are substantially called on to perform. They are to "exhort 1 Matt. xx. 25-28. Luke xxii. 25, 26. Vide note A. one another daily while it is called to-day;" they are all of them to "look diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God." And the graces, which are required in the Christian life, are just those which must be manifested in the right discharge of pastoral duty.1 A Christian elder cannot neglect duty, cannot commit sin of any kind, without doing more harm than a common church member; and no kind of neglect or fault is likely to exercise a more malignant influence, than those which refer to official obligations. The Christian elder, therefore, should seek to be an example to the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity; showing himself a pattern of good works." What a blessed influence is the holy character and conduct of Christian elders calculated to diffuse through the church! In certain cases, they should readily wave undoubted rights, that they may be the better able to give a needed example. They should follow Paul: "Yourselves know," says he, to the Thessalonians, "how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us." ." How happy is it when they can say, "We beseech you be followers of us as dear children; be followers of us even as we also are of Christ!" After a Christian elder has said to those under his care, "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things," what a powerful enforcement is it to the exhortation, when the elo "Ea debet esse Pastoris vita ut non solum quicquid loquitur, sed etiam quicquid agit sit auditorum doctrina."-GERHARD. "Monstrosa res est gradus summus et animus infimus: sedes prima et vita ima; lingua magniloqua et vita otiosa; sermo multus et fructus nullus; vultus gravis et actus levis; ingens autoritas et nutans stabilitas."-BERNHARD. 2 Acts xx. 34, 35. 2 Thess. iii. 7. quence of a holy example, more persuasive than words, is felt in the heart of every hearer, saying, "Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do and the God of peace shall be with you!" The two parts of the clause under remark throw light on each other. The elder who lords it over his brethren, is not, cannot be, "an ensample" to the flock. He is the very reverse of an ensample. He exemplifies the temper which they ought most carefully to avoid; and, on the other hand, if the elder acts as an ensample to the flock, he cannot lord it over them. The domineering elder cannot be an exemplary elder, and the exemplary elder cannot be a domineering elder. Nothing sits so gracefully on the ruler in the Christian church as kind condescension. Nothing is more unbecoming in him than overbearing haughtiness. The Master is the great model. "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord; neither is he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If Christian elders know these things, happy will it be for themselves and for the churches if they do them."1 Such is the temper in which the duties of Christian elders should be performed, not reluctantly but cheerfully, not mercenarily but disinterestedly, from love to God and love to the brethren; not ambitiously to display or establish superiority and rule; not to glorify themselves, but to edify the brethren; but humbly, for the purpose of setting an ex ample of Christian obedience.2 CHAP. IV.-OF THE MOTIVES TO THESE DUTIES. It still remains for us on this part of our subject to attend John xiii. 13-17. 2 “ Tres sunt ministeri ecclesiastici pestes αιγγια, αισχροκέρδεια et φιλοπρωτεία.” -GERHARD. to the motives by which the Apostle urges Christian elders to discharge their duties in this manner. These motives are derived from considerations referring personally to the Apostle-"I exhort you; I who am a fellow-elder, a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed;" from considerations referring to the church-it is "the flock of God," "God's heritage;" and from considerations referring to the office-bearers themselves—if they perform their duties in this way, "when the chief Shepherd appears, they shall receive a crown of glory, which fadeth not." Let us shortly endeavour to bring out the force of the motives arising from these three sources. § 1.-Motives suggested by the Apostle's reference to himself. (1.) He was also an elder. And first let us consider the motives suggested by the Apostle's reference to himself. "The elders who are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory which shall be revealed." I exhort, says Peter; and who was he? "An Apostle of Jesus Christ," one of those so specially commissioned by Christ Jesus to act the part of an ambassador in his room, who is the great ambassador from God; as that when they exhorted it was "as though God did beseech men" by them; to whom he had said, "As the Father hath sent me, so I send you; whatsoever ye bind on earth is bound in heaven; whatsoever ye loose on earth is loosed in heaven. He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. He that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he who despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me;" to whom the Son of Man, on sitting down on the throne of his glory, gave twelve thrones, on which they should sit and judge, rule the twelve tribes of the spiritual Israel; who, along with the inspired prophets, are the foundation on which the church is built, and whose names are represented in the Apocalypse as engraved on the jewelled foundations of the New Jerusalem. An exhortation from such a quarter was equivalent to a command. He that rejected the Apostles, "rejected not men, but God, who had given them his Spirit;" while they spoke as Apostles, Christ, and God in Christ, spoke by them. An apostolical exhortation is equivalent to a Divine command.1 The Apostle, though possessed of this authority, made no unnecessary display of it. It was generally acknowledged by the churches; and though they sometimes found it necessary to "command," as well as to exhort, in the name of the Lord Jesus, yet for the most part, "though they might be much bold in Christ" to enjoin that which was convenient, they "rather, for love's sake, beseeched" those whom they addressed. The injunction lost none of its intrinsic authority from the form it took; and, while more agreeable to him who gave, was not likely to be less influential on those to whom it was given. Peter not only uses the word exhort instead of command, but, instead of using the official appellation which was peculiar to the highest order of church officers, apostle, he employs that of elder, which in its most general acceptation includes all church rulers. He does not take the name which distinguishes him from, but that which identifies him with, those whom he addresses. I Peter speaks of "the wisdom given to his beloved brother Paul;" and it is plain he himself had been made partaker of the same spirit of wisdom and of love. "I "I am," says the venerable Apostle, 'I am a co-presbyter, a fellow-elder. know what it is to have a charge in the house of God. I have felt the responsibilities rising out of the command to feed the sheep, to feed the lambs of the great, good Shepherd. I know the duties of the Christian pastor; I know his difficulties; I know his temptations; I know his joys; I know his sorrows. I know the heart of the Christian elder. 12 Cor. v. 20. Matt. xvi. 19; xviii. 18. Matt. x. 40. John xiii. 20. Matt. xix. 28. Eph. ii. 20. Rev. xxi. 14. |