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A65307 A pastors love expressed to a loving people in a farwel sermon preached at Stephens VValbrook, London, August 17, 1662 / by Mr. Tho. VVatson. Watson, Thomas, d. 1686. 1662 (1662) Wing W1136; ESTC R38520 11,039 24

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A PASTORS LOVE Expressed to a Loving People In a Farwel SERMON PREACHED At Stephens VValbrook London August 17. 1662. By Mr. THO. VVATSON Acts 20. 38. Sorrowing most of all for the words that he spake that they should see his face no more LONDON Printed in the Year 1662. To the Reader Christian Reader HEre is presented to thy view the last Sermon of Mr. Thomas Watson that he Preached to his loving and beloved people of Stephens Walbrook the Reverend Author having no knowledge of its publication I hope will be sufficient Apologie for the Disparity that is in it from his other VVorks it being not published by the same pen nor adorned with Marginal Quotations sutable to his other Sermons thou canst not but know there is great difference between preparing Sermons for the Pulpit and for the Press the wisest Master Builder sees it sometime expedient to beat often upon one and the same truth that they may nayl them not onely to the ears but the hearts of their Auditors and therefore wonder not if thou meetest with any thing that may look like a Tautology since I would rather be guilty of that then to take my own judgment for leaving out any thing delivered I should be sorry if the publication of this Sermon which was intended for the satisfaction of all should prove to the dissatisfaction of any however I hope thou wilt be so candid to lay any fault in Printing or the like at the publishers door not at the Preachers I have but one request more and that is that the Reader would propound as honestends to himself in reading it as I did in transcribing of it in so doing I shall be satisfied and he will be edified Thy Friend and Servant R. M. 2 Cor. 7. Chap. part of the 1. verse Having therefore these promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves IT is the Title I intend by the help of God to insist upon this sweet Parenthasis in the Text my dearly Beloved wherein you have the Apostle breathing out his affections to his people he speaks now as a Pastor and to them as his spiritual Children my dearly beloved First here is the Title my Beloved secondly the Exhortation to holiness let us cleanse our selves thirdly the means how we should be cleansed and sanctified having these promises It is the first I intend the Title the Apostle gives to the Corinthians his people his Children his dear beloved Doct. That the affections of a right Gospel Minister to his people are very strong and ardent There are two things in every Minister of Christ that are much exercised his Head and his Heart his Head with labour and his heart with love 1. His head with labour the work of a Minister if done aright is a work fitter for Angels then for Men. It is our work to open the Oracles of God even these sacred and profound things that the Angels search into If God did not help us we might soon sink under the weight of such a burden 2. As a Ministers Head is exercised with labour so his Heart with love and Its hard to say which of these two exceed so it is in the Text dearly Beloved In these words we have St. Paul laying siege to these Corinthians and labouring to make a happy Victory to conquer them with kindness St. Pauls heart was a spring of love his lips were the pipes the Corinthians were the Cistern in the which this spring did run This holy Apostle was a mirrour or pattern of love to the sinning Corinthians Pauls Tears did drop to the praying Corinthians his love did burn holy Paul he was a Ceraphim his heart did burn in flaming affections to his people how many appelations do we find scattered in his Epistles that are witness of his love he tells his people to whom he sometimes wrote sometimes preached 2 Cor. 12. 14. I seek not yours but you he looked more after their souls then after their silver as a tender Nurse cherrisheth her Child with her brest so did Paul cherish his people with the breast Milk of the word 1 Thes. 2. 7. we were willing to impart to you our own souls because you were dear to us this man of God did not onely Preach his Sermons to his people but would part with his own soul to them such was Pauls affection to his people that without a complement he loved them more then his life Phil. 2. 17. If I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith I joy and rejoyce with you all as if he had said if it be so that my blood be poured out as a sacrifice and my death any way serviceable to you if it may help forward the strength and comfort of your faith I am willing to dye I rejoyce to do it So full of affection and bowels was this Apostle that he could not chuse but love his people although the more he loved them the less he should be beloved 2 Cor. 12. 15. O how did Paul sweeten all his Sermons with love If he reproved sin he was angry in love he dipt the Pill in Sugar Gal. 4. 9 10. how turn you again to the weak and beggerly Elements You observe Days and Monets and times I am affraid of you and see here how he chides their sins and at the same time courts their souls no sooner doth he lance the wound but presently he pours in Wine and Oyl into the wound so well did Paul love his people that he would not justly give any offence to the weakest beleiver 1 Cor. 8. 13. If meat make my Brother to offend I will never eat meat while the World standeth St. Paul was like some tender Mother who forbeareth to eat those meats she might for fear of hurting the Child she giveth suck to thus you see he was a spiritual Father made up of love And surely Beloved this affection in some degree is in every true Minister of Christ they are full of sympathy and bowels over whom the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers There are reasons which I will but glance at first why it will be thus and secondly why it should be thus First It will be thus for two reasons First From that principle within which teacheth love grace doth not fire the heart with passion but with compassion grace in the heart of a Minister files off that ruggedness that is upon his spirit and makes him lovely and curtious Paul he once breathed out persecution but when grace came this Bramble was turned into a spiritual Vine twisting himself about the souls of his people with loving embraces Secondly From that spiritual relation that is between him and his people he is a spiritual Father and shall we think him to be without bowels 1 Cor. 10. 15. Though you have ten thousand instructers yet have you not many Fathers for I have begottten you through the Gospel some he begat to Christ others he built up in Christ doth not a