fess to treat of all the institutions and doctrines of religion. Such a task would be one of almost endless labour, and manifestly ill-suited to attain the proposed end. But, having undertaken to instruct pastors and such as have care of souls in those things that belong peculiarly to the pastoral office and are accommodated to the capacity of the faithful; the Holy Synod intended that such things only should be treated of as might assist the pious zeal of pastors in discharging the duty of instruction, should they not be very familiar with the more abstruse questions of theological disputation.
Principal things to be observed by the Pastor in communicating instruction.Such being the nature and object of the present work, its order requires that, before we proceed to develope those things severally which comprise a summary of this doctrine, we premise a few observations explanatory of the considerations which should form the primary object of the pastor's attention, and which he should keep continually before his eyes, in order to know to what end, as it were, all his views and labours and studies are to be directed, and how this end, which he proposes to himself, may be facilitated and attained.
First.The first is always to recollect that in this consists all Christian knowledge, or rather, to use the words of the Apostle, " this is eternal life, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."[1] A teacher in the Church will, therefore, use his best endeavours that the faithful desire earnestly " to know Jesus Christ and him crucified,"[2] that they be firmly convinced, and with the most heart-felt piety and devotion believe, that " there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby they can be saved,"[3] for he is the propitiation for our sins."[4]
Second.But as " by this we know that we have known him, if we keep his commandments,"[5] the next consideration, and one intimately connected with the preceding, is to press also upon their attention that their lives are not to be wasted in ease and indolence, but that " we are to walk even as Christ walked,"[6] " and pursue," with unremitting earnestness, " justice, godliness, faith, charity, patience, mildness;"[7] for, " he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse to himself a people acceptable, a pursuer of good works."[8] These things the Apostle commands pastors to speak and to exhort.
Third.But as our Lord and Saviour has not only declared, but has also proved by his own example, that "the Law and the Prophets
