Taking Heed to All the Flock

Iv. Hayixg shewed you what it is to take heed to ourselves, and why it must be done, I am next to shew you what it is to “take heed to all the flock,” and wherein it doth consist, and must be exercised. It was first necessar)’ to take into consideration, ichat ice must he, and what we must do for our own souls, before we come to that which must be done for others: “Ne quis alionim vulnera medendo ad salutem, ipse per neghgentiam suje salutis intumescat, ne proximos juvando, se deserat; ne alios erigens, cadat,’”’ saith Gregor. M. de cur. past. 1. 4. Yea, lest all his labours come to nought, because his heart and life is nought that do perform them. “Nonnulli enim sunt qui solerti cura. spiritualia praecepta perscnitantur, sed qua intelligendo penetrant, vivendo conculcant: repente docent quae non opere, sed meditatione didicenint: et quod verbis prsedicant, moribus impugnant; unde fit ut cum pastor per abrupta graditur, ad praecipitium grex sequatur.” Idem, ib. li 1, cap. 2. When we have led them to the living waters, if we muddy it by our filthy lives, we may lose our labour, and yet they be never the better. “Aquam pedibus perturbare, est sancta meditationissitudia male vivendo corrumpere, inquit.” Idem, ib.

Before we speak of the work itself, we must begin with somewhat that is implied and presupposed.

And, 1. It is here impHed, that every Jiock should have their own past07 {prie or jnore,) and every pastor his own flock. As every troop or company in a regiment of soldiers must have their own captain and other officers, and every soldier know his own commanders and colours; so is it the will of God that every church have their own pastors, and that all Christ’s disciples “do know their teachers that are over them in the Lord.” (1 Thes. v. 12, 13.) The universal Church of Christ must consist of particular churches, guided by their own overseers; and every Christian must be a member of one of these churches, except those that, upon embassages, travels, or other like cases of necessity, are deprived of this advantage. “They ordained them elders in every church.” (Acts xiv. 23; so Tit. i. 5.) And in many places this is clear. Though a minister be an officer in the universal Church, yet is he in a special manner the overseer of that particular church which is committed to his charge. As he that is a physician in the commonwealth may yet be the “Medicus vel Archiater cujusdam civitatis,” and be obliged to take care of that city, and not so of any other; so that, though he may and ought occasionally to do any good he can elsewhere that may consist with his fidelity to his special charge, (when an unlicensed person may not;) yet is he first obliged to that city, and must allow no help to others that must occasion a neglect of them, except in extraordinary cases, where the public good requireth it. So is it betwixt a pastor and his special flock. When we are ordained ministers without a special charge, we are licensed and commanded to do our best for all, as we shall have a call for the particular exercise; but when we have undertaken a particular charge, we have restrained the exercise of our gifts and guidance so especially to that.

that we may allow others no more than they can spare of our time and help, except where the public good requireth it, which must be first regarded. From this relation of pastor and flock arise all the duties which mutually we owe. As we must be true to our trust, so must our people be faithful to us, and obey the just directions that we give them from the AVord of God.

2. When we are commanded to “take heed to all the flock,” it is plainly implied that flocks must he no greater, regularly and ordinarily, than ive are capable of overseeing or talcing heed of; that particular churches should be no greater, or ministers no fewer, than may consist ^dth a taking heed to all; for God will not lay upon us natural impossibilities. He will not bind men, on so strict account as we are bound, to leap up to the moon, to touch the stars, to number the sands of the sea. If it be the pastoral work to oversee and take heed to all the flock, then surely there must be such a proportion of pastors assigned to each flock, or such a number of souls in the care of each pastor, as he is able to take such heed to as is here required. Will God require of one bishop to take the charge of a whole county, or of so many parishes or thousands of souls, as he is not able to know or to oversee; yea, and to take the sole government of them, while the particular teachers of them are free from that undertakins? Will God require the blood of many parishes at one man’s hands, if he do not that which ten, or twenty, or a hundred, or three hundred men can no more do than I can move a mountain? Then woe to poor prelates! This were to impose on them a natural or unavoidable necessity of being damned. Is it not.

therefore, a most doleful case that learned, sober men should plead for this as a desirable privilege, or draw such a burden wilfully on themselves, and that they tremble not rather at the thoughts of so great an undertaking 1 Oh, happy had it been for the Church, and happy for the bishops themselves, if this measure that is intimated by the apostle here had been still observed, and the diocese had been no greater than the elders or bishops could oversee and rule, so that they might have taken heed to all the flock! or that pastors had been multiplied as churches multiplied, and the number of overseers proportioned so far to the number of souls, that they might not have let the work be undone, while they assumed the empty titles and undertook impossibilities! and that they had rather prayed the Lord of the harvest to send forth more labourers, even so many as had been proportioned to the work, and not to have undertaken all themselves! I should scarcely commend the prudence or humility of that labourer (let his parts in all other respects be never so great) that would not only undertake to gather in all the harvest in this county himself, and that upon pain of death, yea of damnation, but would also earnestly contend for this prerogative.

Object. “But there are others to teach, though one only have had the rule.”

Ans. Blessed be God, it was so; and no thanks to some of them. But is not government of great concernment to the good of souls as well as preaching? If not, then what matter is it for church governors? If it be, then they that nulhfy it, by undertaking impossibilities, do go about to ruin the churches and themselves. If only preaching be necessary, let us have none but mere preachers. What needs there, then, such a stir about government? But if discipline (in its place) be necessary too, what is it but enmity to men’s salvation to exclude it? and it is unavoidably excluded when it is made to be his work that is naturally incapable of performing it! He that will command an army alone may as well say, It shall he destroyed for want of command; and the schoolmaster that will oversee or govern all the schools in the county alone, may as well say plainly, They shall he all ungoverned; and the physician who lt11 undertake the guidance of all the sick people in a whole nation or county, when he is not able to visit or direct the hundredth man of them, may as well say. Let them perish!

Object. “But, though they cannot rule them by themselves, they may do it by others.”

Ans. The nature of the pastoral work is such as must be done by the pastor himself. He may not delegate a man that is no pastor to baptize, or administer the Lord’s Supper, or to be the teacher of the church. No more may he commit the government of it to another; otherwise, by so doing, he makes that man the bishop, if he make him the immediate ruler and guide of the church. And if a bishop may make each presbyter a bishop, so he do but derive the power from him, then let it no more be held unlawful for them to govern, or to be bishops. And if a prelate may do it, it is likely Christ or His apostles might, and have done it; for as we are to preach in Christ’s name, and not in any man’s, so it is likely that we must ride in His name. But of this somewhat more anon.

Yet, still, it must be acknowledged that, in case of necessity, where there are not more to be had, one man may undertake the charge of more souls than he is able well to oversee particularly. But then he must only undertake to do what he can for them, and not to do all that a pastor ordinarily ought to do. And this is the case of some of us that have greater parishes than we are able to take that special heed to as their state requireth. I must profess, for my own part, I am so far from their boldness that dare venture on the sole government of a county, that I would not, for all England, have undertaken to have been one of the two that should do all the pastoral work that God enjoineth to that one parish where I live, had I not this to satisfy my conscience, that, through the Church’s necessities, iiioie cannot he had; and, therefore, I must rather do what I can, than leave all undone, because I cannot do all. But cases of unavoidable necessity are not to be the standing condition of the Church, or, at least, it is not desirable that it should so be. Oh, happy Church of Christ, were the labourers but able and faithful, and proportioned in number to the number of souls; so that the pastors were so many, or the particular flocks or churches so small, that we might be able to take heed to all the flocks!

Having told you these two things that are here implied, I come next to the duty itself that is expressed. And this taking heed to all the flock in general is — A very great care of the whole and every part, with great watchfulness and diligence in the use of all those holy actions and ordinances which God hath required u to use for their salvation.

More particularly; this work may be considered, —

1. In respect to the subject-matter of it. 2. Its object. 3. The work itself, or the actions which we must perform. 4. The end which we must intend.

I shall begin with the last, as being first in our intention, though last attained.

1. The ultimate end of our pastoral oversight is that which is the ultimate end of our whole lives; even the pleasing and glorifying of God, to which is connexed the glory of the human nature also of Christ, and the glorification of His Church, and of ourselves in particular; and the nearer ends of our office are the sanctification and holy obedience of the people of our charge; their unity, order, beauty, strength, preservation, and increase; and the right worshipping of God, especially in the solemn assemblies. By which it is manifest, that before a man is capable of being a true pastor of a church, according to the mind of Christ, he must have so high an estimation of these things as to make them the great and only end of his life.

(1.) That man, therefore, that is not himself taken up with the predominant love of God, and is not himself devoted to Him, and doth not devote to Him all that he hath, and can do; that man that is not in the habit of pleasing God, and making Him the centre of all his actions, and living to Him as his God and happiness: that is, that man that is not a sincere Christian himself, is utterly unfit to be a pastor of a church. And if we be not in a case of desperate necessity, the Church should not admit such, so far as they can discover them. Though to inferior, common works (as to teach the languages, and some philosophy, to translate Scriptures, &c.,) they may be admitted. A man that is not heartily devoted to God, and attached to His service and honour, will never set heartily about the pastoral work; nor, indeed, can he possibly (while he remain eth such) do one part of that work, no, nor of any other, nor speak one word in Christian sincerity; for no man can be sincere in the means, that is not so in his intentions of the end. A man must heartily love God above all, before he can heartily serve Him before all.

(2.) No man is fit to be a minister of Christ that is not of a public spirit as to the Church, and delighteth not in its beauty, and longeth not for its felicity; as the good of the commonwealth must be the end of the magistrate, (his nearer end,) so must the felicity of the Church be the end of the pastors of it. So that we must rejoice in her welfare, and be willing to spend and be spent for her sake.

(3.) No man is fit to be a pastor of a church that doth not set his heart on the life to come, and regard the matters of everlasting life, above all the matters of this present life; and that is not sensible in some measure how much the inestimable riches of glory are to be preferred to the trifles of the world. For he will never set his heart on the work of men’s salvation, that doth not heartily believe and value that salvation.

(4.) He that delighteth not in holiness, hateth not iniquity, loveth not the unity and purity of the Church, and abhorreth not discord and divisions; and taketh not pleasure in the communion of saints, and the pubHc worship of God with His people, is not fit to be a pastor of a church; for none of all these can have the true ends of a pastor, and therefore cannot do the work. For of what necessity the end is to the means, and in relations, is easily known.

2. The subject-matter of the ministerial work is, in general, spiritual things, or matters that concern the pleasing of God, and the salvation of our people. It is not about temporal and transitory things. It is a vile usurpation of the pope and his prelates to assume the management of the temporal sword, and immerse themselves in the businesses of the world; to exercise the violent coercion of the magistrate, when they should use only the spiritual weapons of Christ. Our business is not to dispose of commonwealths, nor to touch men’s purses or persons by our penalties; but it consisteth only in these two things: —

(1.) In revealing to men that happiness, or chief good, which must be their ultimate end. (2.) In acquainting them with the right means for the attainment of this end, and helping them to use them, and hindering them from the contrary.

(1.) It is the first and great work of the ministers of Christ to acquaint men with that God that made them, and is their happiness; to open to them the treasures of His goodness, and tell them of the glory that is in His presence, which all His chosen people shall enjoy; that so by shewing men the certainty and the excellency of the promised felicity, and the perfect blessedness in the life to come, compared with the vanities of this present life, we may turn the stream of their cogitations and affections, and bring them to a due contempt of this world, and set them on seeking the durable treasure; and this is the work that we should lie at with them night and day. Could we once get them right in regard of the end, and set their hearts unfeignedly on God and heaven, the chief part of the work were done; for all the rest would undoubtedly follow. Here we must diligently shew them the vanity of their sensual felicity, and convince them of the baseness of those pleasures which they prefer to the delights of God.

(2.) Having shewed them the right end, our next work is to acquaint them with the right means of attaining it. Where the wrong way must be disgraced, the evil of all sin must be manifested, and the danger that it hath brought us into, and the hurt it hath already done us, must be discovered. Then we have the great mystery of Redemption to disclose; the person, natures, incarnation, perfection, Ufe, miracles, suflferings, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, glorification, dominion, intercession of the blessed Son of God. As also the tenor of His promises, the conditions imposed on us, the duties which He hath commanded us, and the everlasting torments which He hath threatened to the final impenitent neglecters of His grace. Oh, what a treasury of His blessings and graces, and the privileges of His saints, have we to unfold! What a blessed life of holiness and communion therein have we to recommend to the sons of men! And yet how many temptations, difficulties, and dangers to disclose, and assist them against! How many precious spiritual duties have we to set them upon, and excite them to and direct them in! How many objections of flesh and blood, and cavils of vain men have we to refute! How much of our own corruptions and sinful inclinations to, discover and root out! We have the depth of God’s bottomlesss love and mercy, the depth of the mysteries of His designs, and works of creation redemption, proddence, justification, adoption, sanctification, glorification; the depth of Satan’s temptations, and the

THE REFORMED PASTOR. Ill

depth of their own hearts to disclose. In a word, we must teach them, as much as we can, of the word and works of God. Oh, what two vohimes are these for a minister to preach upon! How great, how excellent, how wonderful, how mysterious! All Christians are disciples or scholars of Christ; the Church is His school, we are His ushers; the Bible is His grammar; this is that we must be daily teaching them. The Papists would teach them without book, lest they should learn heresies from the Word of Truth; lest they learn falsehood from the Book of God, they must only learn the books or words of their priests. But our business is not to teach them without book, but to help them to understand this Book of God. So much for the subject-matter of our work.

3. The object of our pastoral care is, all the jiock: that is, the Church and every member of it. It is considered by us, (1.) In the whole body or society. (2.) In the parts or individual members.

(1.) Our first care must be about the whole; and therefore the first duties to be done are public duties, which are done to the whole. As our people are bound to prefer public duties before private, so are we much more. But this is so commonly confessed, that I shall say no more of it.

(2.) But that which is less understood or considered of, is, that all the flock, even each individual member of our charge, must be taken heed of, and watched over by us in our ministry. To which end it is to be presupposed necessary, that (unless where absolute necessity forbiddeth it, through the scarcity of pastors, and greatness of the flock,) we should know every person that belongeth to our charge; for how can we take heed to them if we do not know them? Or how can we take that heed that belongeth to the special charge that we have undertaken, if we know not who be of our charge, and who not, though we know the personal Our obligation is not to all neighbourchurches, or to all stragglers, so great as it is to those whom we are set over. How can we tell whom to exclude, till we know who are included 1 Or how can we repel the accusations of the offended, that tell us of the ungodly or defiled members of our churches, when we know not who be members, and who not ‘? Doubtless the bounds of our parish will not teU us, as long as Papists, and some worse, do there inhabit. Nor will bare hearing us certainly discover it, as long as those are used to hear that are members of other churches, or of none at all. Nor is mere participation of the Lord’s Supper a sure note, while strangers may be admitted, and many a member accidentally be kept off. Though much probability may be gathered by these, or some of these, yet a fuller knowledge of our charge is necessary where it may be had, and that must be the fittest expression of consent, because it is consent that is necessary to the relation.

All the flock being thus known, must afterward be taken heed to. One would think all reasonable men should be satisfied of that, and it should need no farther proof. Doth not a careful shepherd look after every individual sheep *? and a good schoolmaster look to every individual scholar, both for instruction and correction’? and a good physician look after every particular patient 1 and good commanders look after every individual soldier? AVhy, then, should not the teachers, the pastors, the physicians, the guides of the churches of Christ, take heed to every individual member of their charge 1 .Christ himself, the great and good Shepherd, and ]Iaster of the Church, that hath the whole to look after, doth yet take care of every individual. In Luke xv. He tells us, that He is as the shepherd that “leaveth the ninety and nine sheep in the wilderness, to seek after one that was lost;” or as the “woman that lighteth a candle, and sweepeth the house, and searcheth diligently to find the one groat that was lost; and having found it, doth rejoice, and call her friends and neighbours to rejoice.” And Christ telleth us, that “even in heaven there is joy over one sinner that repenteth.” The prophets are often sent to single men. Ezekiel is made a watchman .over individuals; and must say to the wicked, “Thou shalt surely die.” (Ezek. iii. 18-20.) And Paul taught them “publicly, and from house to house;” which was meant of his teaching particular families; for even the public teaching was then in houses; and jnihhdy, smd from house to house, signify not the same thing. The same Paul “warned every man, and taught every man, in all wisdom, that he might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” (Col. i. 28.) Christ expoimdeth His parables to the twelve apart. Every man must “seek the law at the mouth of the priest.” (Mai. ii. 7.) We must give an account of our watching for the souls of all that are bound to obey us. (Heb. xiii. 7.) Many more passages in Scripture assure us that it is our duty to take heed of every individual person in our flock. And many passages in the ancient Councils do plainly tell us, it was the practice of those- times, till churches began to be crowded, and to swell so big that they could not be

H guided as churches should be, when they should rather have been multiplied, as the converts did increase. But I will pass over all these, and mention only one passage in Ignatius (or whoever it was, I matter not much, seeing it is but to prove what was then the custom of the Church,) ad Polycarp. TIvKvorepovavva’yw’yai, ryevedaxrav’ e ovo/maro iravra’; ^rjTei, hovlov<i /cat

Bovla<i [iri vTrep7](f)avei, i. e., “Let the assemblies be gathered, seek after (or inquire of) all by name: despise not servant-men or maids.” You see it was then taken for a duty to look after every member of the flock by name; though it were the meanest servant-man or maid. The reasons of the necessity of this I shall pass over now, because some of them will fail in when we come to the duty of Catechising and Personal Instruction in the end.

Object. “But the congregation that I am set over is so great that it is not possible for me to know them all, much less to take heed of all individuals.”

Ans. 1. Is it necessity or not that hath cast you upon such a charge? If it be not, you excuse one sin with another. How durst you undertake that which you knew yourself unable to perform, when you were not forced to it 1 It seems, then, you had some other ends in your undertaking, and never intended to make it good, and be faithful to your trust. But if you think that you were necessitated to it, I must ask you, 1. Might not you possibly have procured some assistance for so great a charge 1 Have you done all that you could with your friends and neighbours to get maintenance for another to help you 1 2. Have you not so much maintenance yourself as might serve yoiu’self and another 1 What though it will not serve to maintain you in fulness 1 Is it not more reason that you should pinch your flesh and family, than undertake a work that you cannot do, and neglect the souls of so many men 1 I know it will seem hard to some what I say, but to me it seems an unquestionable thing: that if you have but an hundred pounds a year, it is your duty to live upon part of it, and allow the rest to a competent assistant, rather than the flock that you are over should be neglected. If you say this is hard measure, your wife and children cannot so live; I answer, (1.) Do not many families in your parish live on less “? (2.) Have not many able ministers in the prelates’ days been glad of less, with liberty to preach the gospel? There are some yet living (as I have heard) that have offered the bishops to enter into bond to preach for nothing, so they might but have the liberty to preach. (3.) If still you say, that you cannot live so nearly as poor people do; I further ask, Can your parishioners better endure damnation than you can endiu-e want and poverty? What! do you call yourselves ministers of the gospel, and yet are the souls of men so base in your eyes that you had rather they did eternally perish, than yourselves and family should live in a low and poor condition 1 Nay, should you not rather beg your bread than put such a thing as men’s salvation upon a hazard or disadvantage? yea, or hazard the damnation but of one soul 1 0 sirs, it is a miserable thing when men study and talk of heaven and hell, and the tea ness of the saved, and the difficulty of salvation, and are not all this while in good sadness. If you were, you could never surely stick at such matters as these, and let your people go to damnation, that you might live at higher rates in the world. Remember this, the next time you are preaching to them, that they cannot he saved without hioivledge, and hearken whether conscience do not conclude. It is likely they might be brought to knowledge if they had but diligent instruction and exhortation 2:>rivately, man by man; and then. Were there another minister to assist me, this might be done; and then, If I would live nearly and deny my flesh, I might have an assistant; and then it must conclude, Dare I let my people live in ignorance, which I myself have told them is damning, rather than put myself and family to a little wantf

And I must further say, that indeed this poverty is not so sad and dangerous a business as it is pretended to be. So you have but food and raiment, must you not therewith be content 1 and what would you have more than that which may enable you for the work of God “? And it is not purple and fine linen, and faring deliciously every day, that you must expect, as that which must content you. “A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things that he possesseth.” So your clothing be warm, and your food be wholesome, you may as well be supported by it to do God service, as if you had the fullest satisfaction to your flesh. A patched coat may be warm, and bread and drink is wholesome food. He that wanteth not these, hath but a cold excuse to make for hazarding men’s souls, that he may live on a fuller diet in the world.

Object. “If this doctrine be received, then it will discourage men from meddhng with great places, and so all cities, market-towns, and other great parishes will be left desolate.”

Ans. It will discourage none but the carnal and selfseeldng, not those that thirst after the winning of souls, and are wholly devoted to the service of God, and have taken up the cross, and follow Christ in self-denial. And for others, they are so far from being good ministers, that they are not His disciples or true Christians. Christ would not forbear to tell the world of the absolute necessity of self-denial, and resigning up all, and bearing the cross, and mortifying the flesh, for fear of discouraging men from His serdce; but contrarily, telleth them that He will have no other servants but such, and those that will not come on those terms may go their ways, and take their course, and see who will lose by it, and whether He do want more their service, or they want His protection and favour.

Object. “But I am not bound to go to a charge which I cannot perform, and take a greater place, when I am fit but for a less.”

Ans. 1. If you would undertake it but for want of maintenance, then it is not unfitness, but poverty that is your discouragement; and that is no sufficient discouragement. 2. We are all bound to dispose of ourselves to the greatest advantage of the Church, and to take that course in which we may do God the greatest service; and we know that He hath more work for us in greater congregations than in lesser, and that the neglect of them would be the greatest injury and danger to His Church and interest; and therefore we must not refuse, but choose the greatest work, though it be accompanied with the greatest difficulties and sufiering. It must be done; why not by you as well as others 1

Object. “But no man must undertake more than he can do.”

Ans. I will add the rest of my inquiries, whicH will answer this objection. 3. Would the maintenance of the place serve two others, that have less necessity, or smaller families, than you 1 If it will, try to get two such as may accept it in your stead. 4. If this cannot be done, nor addition be procured, and there be really so little that you cannot have assistance, then these two things must be done. (1.) You must take the charge with limitation, with a profession of your insufficiency for the whole work, and your undertaking only so much as you can do; and this you do for the necessity of the place that cannot otherwise be better supplied. (2.) You must not leave off the work of personal oversight, nor refuse to deal particularly with any, because you cannot do it with all; but take this course with as many as you are able; and withal put on godly neighbours, and especially parents, and masters of families, to do the more. And thus doing what we can will be accepted.

In the meantime, let us importune the rulers of the commonwealth, for such a portion of maintenance to great congregations, that they may have so many ministers to watch over them, as may personally, as well as publicly, instruct and exhort them. It may please God at last to put this into the hearts of governors, and to give them a love to the prosperity of His Church, and a conscience of their duty for the promoting of men’s salvation.

Some more of these objections we shall answer anon, under the Uses. So much for the distribution of the work of the ministry, drawn from the object materially considered.

We are next to consider of it in reference to the several qualities of the object. And because we shall here speak somewhat of the acts with the object, there will be the less afterward to be said of them by themselves.

[1.] The first part of our ministerial work lieth in bringing unsound professors of the faith to sincerity, that they who before were Christians in name and show, may be so indeed. Though it belong not to us, as their pastors, to convert professed infidels to the faith, because they cannot be members of the Church while they are professed infidels; yet doth it belong to us, as their pastors, to convert these seeming Christians to sincerity, because such seeming Christians may be visible members of our churches. And though we be not absolutely certain that this or that man in particular is unsound, and unsanctified, yet as long as we have a certainty that many such are usually in the Church, and have too great probability that it is so with several individuals whom we can name, we have therefore ground enough to deal “with them for their conversion. And if we be certain by their notorious impiety that they are no Christians, and so to be rejected from the communion of Christians; yea, if they were professed infidels, yet may we deal with them for their conversion, though not as their pastors, yet as ministers of the gospel. So that upon these terms we may well conclude that the work of conversion is the great thing that we must first drive at, and labour with all our mio;ht to efiect.

Alas! the misery of the unconverted is so great, that it calleth loudest to us for our compassion! If a truly converted sinner do fall, it will be but into sin, which will surely be pardoned, and he is not in that hazard of damnation by it as others be. Not, as some imjustly accuse ns to say, that God hateth not their sins as well as others, or that He will bring them to heaven let them live never so wickedly; but the Spirit, that is within them, will not let them live wickedly, nor to sin as the ungodly do; but they hate sin habitually, when through temptation they commit it actually; and as they have a general repentance for all, so have they a particular repentance for all that is known; and they usually know all that is gross and much more, and they have no iniquity that hath dominion over them. But with the unconverted it is far otherwise: they are in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity, and have yet no part nor fellowship in the pardon of their sins, or the hopes of glory. We have therefore a work of greater necessity to do for them, even “to open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among the sanctified by faith in Christ.” (Acts xxvi. IS.) To soften and open their hearts to the entertainment of “the truth, if God, peradventure, will give them repentance to the acknowledging of it, that they may escape out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (2 Tim. ii. 25.) That so “they may be converted, and their sins may be forgiven them.” (Mark iv. 12.) He that seeth one man sick of a mortal disease, and another only pained with the toothache, will be moved more to compassionate the former than the latter, and will surely make more haste to help him, though he were a stranger, and the other a son. It is so sad a case to see men in a state of damnation, wherein if they should die they are remedilessly lost, that methinks we should not be able to let them alone, either in public or private, whatever other work we have to do. I confess, I am forced frequently to neglect that which should tend to the further increase of knowledge in the godly, and may be called stronger meat, because of the lamentable necessity of the unconverted. Who is able to talk of controversies, or nice unnecessary points, yeii, or truths of a lower degree of necessity, how excellent soever, while he seeth a company of ignorant, carnal, miserable sinners before his face, that must be changed or damned? Methinks I even see them entering upon their final woe! jNIethinks I even hear them cryingout for help, and speediest help! Their misery speaks the louder, because they have not hearts to seek, or ask for help themselves. Many a time have I knoTi that I had some hearers of hig-her fancies, that looked for rarities, and were addicted to despise the ministry, if he told them not somewhat more than ordinary; and yet I could not find in my heart to turn from the observation of the necessities of the impenitent, for the humouring of these, nor to leave speaking to the apparently miserable for their salvation, to speak to such novelists; no, nor so much as otherwise shoidd be done, to the weak for their confirmation and increase in grace. Methinks as Paul’s spirit was stirred within him when he saw the Athenians so addicted to idolatry, so it should cast us into one of his paroxysms to see so many men in great probability of being everlastingly undone; and if by faith we did indeed look upon them as within a step of heU, it should more effectually untie oiu: tongues, than they tell us that Croesus’ danger did his son’s. He that will let a sinner go to hell for want of speaking to him, doth set less by souls than

the Redeemer of souls did, and less by his neighbour than rational charity will allow him to do by his greatest enemy. Oh, therefore, brethren, whomsoever you neglect, neo-lect not the most miserable! Whoever you pass over, forget not poor souls that are under the condemnation and curse of the law, and may look every hour for the infernal execution, if a speedy change do not prevent it. Oh, call after the impenitent, and ply this great work of converting souls, whatever else you leave undone!

[2.] The next part of the ministerial work, is for the building up of those that are already truly converted. And accordino; to the various states of these, the work is various. In general, as the persons are either such as are young and weak, or such as are in danger of growing worse, or such as are already declining, so our work is all reducible to these particulars, Conjirmation, Progiess, Preservation, and Restoration.

1. We have many of our flock that are young and weak; though of long standing, yet of small proficiency or strength. And, indeed, it is the most common condition of the godly: most of them stick in weak and low degrees of grace; and it is no easy matter to get them higher. To bring them to higher and stricter opinions, is very easy — that is, to bring them from the truth into error, on the right hand as well as on the left: but to increase their knowledo-e and gifts is not easy; but to increase their graces is the hardest of all. It is a very troublesome thing to be weak: it exj)oseth us to many dangers, it abateth consolation and delight in God, and taketh off the sweetness of His ways, and maketh us go to work with too much backwardness, and come off with little peace or profit. It maketh us less serviceable to God and man, to bring less honour to our Master and profession, and do less good to all about us. We find but small benefit by the means we use; we too easily play with the serpent’s baits, and are ensnared by his wiles. A seducer will easily make us shake, and evil may be made appear to us as good, truth as falsehood, sin as a duty, and so on the contrary. We are less able to resist and stand in an encounter; we sooner fall; we rise with greater difficulty; and are apt to prove a scandal and reproach to our profession. We know less of ourselves, and are more apt to be mistaken .in our own estate, not observing corruptions when they have got advantage; we are dishonourable to the gospel by our very weakness, and little useful to any about us; and, in a word, though we live to less profit to ourselves or others, yet are we unwilling and unready to die.

Seeing the case of weakness is comparatively so sad, how diligent should we be to cherish and increase their grace! The strength of Christians is the honour of the Church. AVhen men are inflamed with the love of God, and live by a lively, working faith, and set light by the profits and honours of the world, and love one another with a pure heart fervently, and can bear and heartily forgive a wrong, and suffer joyfully for the cause of Christ, and study to do good, and walk inoffensively and harmlessly in the world, as ready to be servants of all men for their good, becoming all things to all men to win them, and yet abstaining from the appearances of evil, and seasoning all their actions with a sweet mixture of prudence, humility, zeal, and heavenly spirituality; oh, what an honour are such to their profession! what ornaments to the

Church! and how excellently serviceable to God and man! Men would sooner believe that the gospel is indeed a word of truth and power, if they could see more such effects of it upon the hearts and lives of men. The world is better able to read the nature of religion in a man’s life than in the Bible. They that obey not the Word, may be won by the conversation of such. It is therefore a necessary part of our work, to labour more in polishing and perfecting of the saints, that they may be strong in the Lord, and fitted for their Master’s use.

2d, Another sort of converts that need our special help are those that labour under some particular distemper, which keeps under their graces, and makes them temptations and troubles to others and a burden to themselves; for, alas! too many such there are — some that are especially addicted to pride, and some to worldliness, and some to this or that sensual desire, and many to frowardness and disturbing passions. It is our duty to set in for the assistance of all these; and, partly by dissuasions and clear discoveries of the odiousness of the sin, and partly by suitable directions about the way of remedy, to help them to a conquest of their corruptions. AYe are leaders of Christ’s army against the powers of darkness, and must resist all the works of darkness wherever we find them, though it be in the children of light. We must be no more tender of the sins of the godly than the ungodly, nor any more befriend them or favour them. By how much more we love the persons above others, by so much the more we must express it in the opposition of their sin; and yet must look to meet with some tender persons here, especially when iniquity hath got any head and made a party, and many have fallen in love with it. They will be as pettish and impatient of a reproof as some who are worse, and interest piety itself into their faults, and say that a minister that preacheth against them doth preach against the godly. A most heinous crime this, to make God and godliness accessory to their sins. But the ministers of Christ must do their duty, for all men’s peevishness; and must not so far hate their brother as to forbear the plain rebuke of him, or suffer sin to lie upon his soul. Though it must be done wath much prudence, yet done it must be.

3d, Another sort that our work is about are declinino; Christians, that are either fallen into some scandalous sin, or else abate their zeal and diligence, and shew us that they have lost their former love. As the case of backsliders is very sad, so our diligence must J)e great for their recovery. It is sad to. them to lose so much of their life, and peace, and serviceableness to God, and to become so serviceable to Satan and his cause! It is sad to us to see that all our labour is to come to this; and that, when we have .taken so much pains with men, and had so much hopes of them, all should be so far frustrated! It is saddest of all to think that God should be so abused by those that He hath loved and done so much for, and that the enemy should get such advantage upon His graces, and that Christ should be so wounded in the house of His friends, the name of God evil spoken of among the wicked through such, and all that fear God should be reproached for their sakes. Besides, partial backsliding hath a natural tendency to total apostasy, and would effect it, if special grace prevent it not. The sadder the case of such Christians is, the more lieth upon us for their effectual recovery, “to restore those that are but overtaken with a fault by the spirit of meekness,” (Gal. vi. 1, 2,) and yet to see that the sore be thoroughly searched and healed, and the joint be well set again, what pain soever it cost; and especially to look to the honour of the gospel, and to see that they rise by such free and full confessions and significations of true repentance, that some reparation be thereby made to the Church and their holy profession for the wovmd of dishonour that they had given it by their sin. Much skill is required to the restoring of such a soul.

4th, Another part of our ministerial work is about those that are fallen under some great temptation. Much of our assistance is needfal to our people in such a case; and therefore every minister should be a man that hath much insight into the tempter’s wiles. We should know the variety of them, and the cunning craft of all Satan’s instruments that lie in wait to deceive, and the methods and devices of the grand deceiver. Some of our people lie under temptations to error and heresy, especially the young, unsettled, and most self-conceited, and those that are most conversant and familiar with seducers. Young, unsettled Christians are commonly of their mind that have most interest in their esteem, and most opportunity of familiar talk to draw them into their way; and as they are tender, so deceivers want not the sparks of zeal to set them in a flame. A zeal for error and opinions of our own is natural, and easily kindled and kept alive; but it is far otherwise with the spiritual zeal for God. Oh, what a deal of holy prudence and industry is necessary in a pastor, to preserve the flock from beinor tainted with heresies and fallino; into noxious conceits and practice; and especially ‘co keep them in unity and concord, and hinder the rising or increase of divisions! If there be not a notable conjunction of all accomplishments, and a skilful improvement of parts and interests, it will hardly be done, especially in such times as ours, when the sign is in the head, and the disease is epidemical. If we do not publicly maintain the credit of our ministry, and second it by unblamable and exemplary lives, and privately meet with seducers and shame them — if we be not able to manifest their folly, and follow not close our staggering people before they fall, how quickly may we give great advantage to the enemy, and let in such an inundation of sin and calamity that will not easily be again cast out!

Others lie under a temptation to worldly-mindedness; and others to gluttony or drunkenness; and others to uncleanness: some to one sin, and some to another. A faithful pastor, therefore, should have his eye upon them all, and labour to be acquainted with their natural temperament, and also with their occasions and affairs in the world, and the company that they live or converse with, that so he may know where their temptations lie; and then speedily, prudently, and diligently help them.

5th, Another part of our work is to comfort the disconsolate, and to settle the peace of our people’s souls, and that on sure and lasting ground. To which end, the quality of the complainants, and the course of their lives had need to be known; for all people must have the Like consolations that have the like complaints. But of this I have spoken already elsewhere; and there is so much said by many, especially Mr Bolton in his “Instructions for Bight Comforting,” that I shall say no more.

6 th, The rest of our ministerial work is upon those that are yet strong; for they also have need of our assistance: partly to prevent their temptations and declinings, and preserve the grace they have; partly to help them for a further progress and increase; and partly to direct them in the improving of their strength for the service of Christ, and the assistance of their brethren. As also to encourage them, especially the aged, the tempted and afflicted, to hold on, and to persevere that they may obtain the crown. All these are the objects of the ministerial work, and in respect to all these we must take heed to all the flock.

4. Having done with our work in respect to its objects, I am next to speak of the acts themselves. But of this I shall be very brief

(1.) One part of our work, and that the most excellent, because it tendeth to work on many, is the public preaching of the Word — a work that requireth greater skill, and especially greater life and zeal, than any of us bring to it. It is no small matter to stand up in the face of a congregation, and deliver a message of salvation or damnation, as from the living God, in the name of our Bedeemer. It is no easy matter to speak so plain, that the ignorant may understand us; and so seriously, that the deadest hearts may feel us; and so convincingly, that contradicting cavillers may be silenced. I know it is a great dispute whether preaching be proper to the ministers or not “? The decision seems not very difficult. Breaching to a con gregation as their ordinary teacher, is proper to a minister in office; and preaching to the unbelieving world, Jews, Mohammedans, or Pagans, as one that hath given up himself to that work, and is separated and set apart to it, is proper to a minister in office; but preaching to a church, and infidels occasionally, as an act of charity, extraordinarily, or upon special call to that act, may be common to others. The governor of a church, when he cannot preach himself, may in a case of necessity appoint a private man, “pro tempore,” to do it, who is able, as Mr Thorndike hath shewed. But no private man may obtrude, without his consent who by his office is the guide and pastor of that church. And a master of a family may preach to his own family, and a schoolmaster to his scholars, and any man to those whom he is obliged to teach; so that he goes not beyond his ability, and do it in a due subordination to church teaching, and not in the way of opposition and division. A man that is not of the trade, may do some one act of a tradesman in a corporation, for his own use, or family, or friend; but he may not separate himself to it, or set it up, and make it his profession, nor live upon it, unless he had been an apprentice, and were free. For though one man of ten thousand may do it of himself, as well as he that hath served an apprenticeship, yet it is not to be presumed that it is ordinarily so: and the standing rule must not bend to rarities and extraordinaries, lest it undo all; for that which is extraordinary and rare in such cases, the law doth look upon as a “non ens.” But the best way to silence such usurping teachers, is for those to whom it belongeth, to do it themselves so diligently, that the people may not have need to go a begging; and to do it judiciously, and affectingly, that a plain difference may aj)pear between them and usurpers, and that other men’s works may be shamed by theirs; and also by the adding of holy lives and unwearied diligence to high abilities, to keep up the reputation of their sacred office, that neither seducers nor tempted ones may fetch matter of temptation from our blemishes or neglects.

(2.) Another part of our pastoral work is to administer the holy mysteries, or seals of God’s covenant, — Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. This also is claimed by private usurpers; but I will not stand to discuss their claim. A great fault it is among ourselves, that some are so careless in the manner, and others do reform that with a total neglect; and others do lay such a stress on circumstances, and make them a matter of so much contention, even in that ordinance where union and communion is so professed.

(3.) Another part of our work is to guide our people, and be as their mouth in the public prayers of the church, and the public praises of God; as also to bless them in the name of the Lord. This sacerdotal part of the work is not the least, nor to be so much thrust into a corner, as by too many of us it is. A great part of God’s service in the church assemblies was wont in all ages of the Church, till of late, to consist in public praises and eucharistical acts in holy communion; and the Lord’s day was still kept as a day of thanksgiving, in the hymns and common rejoicings of the faithful, in special commemoration of the work of redemption, and the happy condition of the gospel-Church. I am as ayprehensive of the necessity of preaching as some others; but yet, methinks, the solemn praises of God pliould take up much more of the Lord’s day than in most places they do. And, methinks, they that are for the magnifying of gospel privileges, and for a life of love and heavenly joys, should be of my mind in this; and their worship should be evangelical as well as their doctrine pretendeth to be.

(4.) Another part of the ministerial work, is to have a special care and oversight of each member of the flock. The parts whereof are these that follow: —

[l.] We must labour to be acquainted with the state of all our people as fully as we can: both to know the persons, and their inclinations and conversation; to know what are the sins that they are most in danger of, and what duties they neglect for the matter or manner, and what temptations they are most liable to. For if we know not the temperament or disease, we are likely to prove but unsuccessful physicians.

[2.] We must use all the means we can to instruct the ignorant in the matters of their salvation: by our own most plain familiar words; by gi^ng, or lending, or otherwise helping them to books that are fit for them; by persuading them to learn catechisms; and those that cannot read, to get help of their neighbours; and to persuade their neighbours to afford them help, who have best opportunities thereto.

[3.] We must be ready to give advice to those that come to us with cases of conscience, especially the great case which the Jews put to Peter, and the jailer to Paul and Silas, “What must we do to be saved?” A minister is not only for public preaching, but to be a known counsellor for their souls, as the lawyer is for their estates, and the physician for their bodies; so that each man that is in doubts and straits, should bring his case to him and desire resolution. Not that a minister should be troubled with every small matter, which judicious neighbours can give them advice in as well as he, no more than a lawyer or physician should be troubled for every trifle or familiar case, where others can tell them as much as they: but as when their estate or life is in danger they will go to these; so when their souls are in danger, they should go to ministers, as Nicodemus came to Christ, and as was usual with the people to go to the priest, whose lips must preserve knowledge, and at whose mouth they must ask the law, because he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. And because the people are groAvu unacquainted with the ofiice of the ministry, and their own necessity and duty herein, it belongeth to us to acquaint them herewith, and to press them publicly to come to us for advice in such cases of great concernment to their souls. We must not only be willing of the trouble, but draw it upon ourselves by inviting them hereto. What abundance of good might we do, could we but bring our people to this! And doubtless much might be done in it, if we did our duty. How few have I ever heard that heartily pressed their people to their duty in this! A sad case, that people’s souls should be so injured and hazarded, by the total neglect of so great a duty, and ministers scarcely ever tell them of it, and awaken them to it; were they but duly sensible of the need and weight of this, you would have them more frequently knocking at your doors, opening their cases to you, making their sad complaints, and begging your advice. I beseech you put them more on this for the future, and perform it- carefully when they seek your help. To this end it is very necessary that we be acquainted with practical cases, and especially that we be acquainted with the nature of true grace, and able to assist them in trying their states, and resolve the main question that concerns their everlasting life or death. One word of seasonable and prudent advice, given by a minister to persons in necessity, hath done that good that many sermons would not have done.

[4.] We must also have a special eye upon families, to see that they be well ordered, and the duties of each relation performed, — the life of religion, and the welfare and glory of Church and State, depending much on family government and duty. If we suffer the neo-lect of this, we undo all. What are we like to do ourselves to the reforming of a congregation, if all the work be cast on us alone, and masters of families will let fall that necessary duty of their own, by which they are bound to help us 1 If any good be begun by the ministry in any soul in a family, a careless, prayerless, worldly family is almost sure to stifle it, or at least very much hinder it. Whereas, if you could but get the rulers of families to do their part, and take up the work where you left it, and help it on, what abundance of good might be done! I beseech you, therefore, do all that you can to promote this business, as ever you desire the true reformation and welfare of your parishes! To which end let these things following be performed: — 1. Get certain information how each family is ordered, and how God is worshipped in them, that you may know how to proceed in your carefulness for their further good. 2. Go now and then among them when they are like to be most at leisure, and ask the master of the family whether he pray with them, or read the Scriptures, or what he cloth? And labour to convince the neglecters of their sin. And if you have opportunity, pray with them before you go, and give them an example, what you would have them do, and how; and get a promise of them that they will be more conscientious therein for the future. 3. If you find any unable to pray in tolerable expressions through ignorance and disuse, persuade them to study their owti wants, and get their hearts affected with them, and so go often to those neighbours who use to pray, that they may learn, and in the meantime persuade them to use a form of prayer rather than none. Only tell them that it is their sin and shame that they have lived so negligently, as to be now so unacquainted with their o^Tl necessities, and not know how to speak to God in prayer, when every beggar can find words to ask an alms; and therefore tell them that this form is but for necessity, as a crutch to a cripple, while they cannot do as well without it; but they must not resolve to take up there, but to learn to do better as soon as they can, seeing prayer should come from the feeling of the heart, and be varied both according to our necessities and observations. Yet it is necessary for most of those that have not been brought up where prayer hath been used, that they begin at first with a form, because they will else be able to do nothing at all, and in sense of their disabihty will wholly neglect the duty, though they desire to perform it. For many persons can mutter out some honest requests in secret, that be not able before others to speak tolerable sense. And I will not be one of them that had rather the duty were wholly neglected, or profaned and made. contemptible, than encourage them to the use of a form.

either recited by memory or read. 4. See that they have some profitable, moving book (beside the Bible) in each family; if they have not, persuade them to buy some of small price, and great use, such as IMr Whately’s “New Birth,” and Dod on the Commandments, or some smaller, moving sermons. If they be not able to buy them, give them some, if you can; if you cannot, get some gentleman, or other rich persons that are willing to do good works, to do it; and engage them to read them at night when they have leisure, and especially on the Lord’s day. 5. By all means persuade them to procure all their children to learn to read English. 6. Direct them how to spend the Lord’s day, how to despatch their worldly businesses, so as to prevent incumbrances and distractions; and when they have been at the assembly, how to spend the time in their families. The life of relio-ion lieth much on this, because poor people have no other free considerable time, and therefore if they lose this they lose all, and will remain ignorant and brutish. Especially persuade them to these two things: If they cannot repeat the sermon, or otherwise spend the time profitably at home, that they take their family with them, and go to some godly neighbour that spends it better, that by joining with them they may have the better help. That the master of the family will every Lord’s day at night, cause all his family to repeat the Catechism to him, and give him some account of what they have learned in public that day. 7. If there be any in the family that are known to be unruly, give the ruler a special charge concerning them, and make them understand what a sin it is to connive at and tolerate them. Neglect not therefore this necessary part of your work.

Get masters of families to their duties, and they will spare you a great deal of laloour with the rest, or further much the success of your labours. If a captain can get his lieutenant, cornet, and other inferior officers to their duties, he may rule the soldiers with less trouble than if all should lie upon his hands alone. You are likely to see no general reformation till you procure family reformation. Some little obscure religion there may be in here and there one; but while it scks in single persons, and is not promoted by these societies, it doth not prosper, nor promise much for future increase.

[5.] Another part of the work of our private oversight consisteth in a vigilant opposing of seducers, and seeking to prevent the infection of our flock, and speedy reclaiming those that begin to itch after strange teachers, and turn into crooked paths. When we hear of any one that lies under the influence of their temptations, or that is already deceived by them, we must speedily, with all our skill and diligence, make out for their relief. The means 1 shall shew in the directions in the end.

[6.] Another part of this oversight lieth in the due encouragement of those that are humble, upright, obedient Christians, and profit by our teaching, and are an honour to their profession. We must, in the eyes of all the flock, put some difference between them and the rest by our praises, and more special familiarity, and other testimonies of our approbation, and rejoicing over them; that so we may both encourage them, and incite others to imitate them. God’s graces are amiable and honourable in all, even in the poorest of the flock, as well as in pastors; and the smallest

THE REFORMED PASTOR. i;)7

decrees must be cherished and encourao;ed; but the highest more openly honoured and propounded to imitation. They that have slighted or vilified the most gracious, because they were of the laity, while they claimed to themselves the honour of the clergy, though adorned with little or none of that grace, as they shewed themselves to be proud and carnal, so did they take the next way to debase themselves by self-exaltation, and to bring the office itself into contempt. For if there be no honour due to the real sanctity of a Christian, much less to the relative sanctity of a pastor: and he that vilifieth the person, cannot well plead for the honouring of robes and empty titles: nor can he expect that his people should give him the honour of a pastor, if he will not give them the love and honour that is due to Christians, and the members of Christ. As the orator said to Domitius, “Cur ego te habeam ut principem, cum tu me non habeas ut senatorem.” It was an unchristian course, therefore, which our late prelates and their agents took, who discountenanced none so much as the most godly, whom they should have rejoiced in, and encouraged; and made them not only the common scorn, but also the objects of their persecuting rage, as if they had fed their flock for the butcher, and called them out for suffering as they came to maturity. This vilifying and persecuting the most diligent of the flock, was neither the note of Christian shepherds, nor the way to be so esteemed. As Jerom saith, “Quid de Episcopis, qui verberibus timeri volunt, canones dicant, bene fraternitas vestra novit. Pastores enim facti sum us, non percussores. Egregius prsedicator dixit; Argue, obsecra, increpa in omni patientia et doctrina: nova vero atque inaudita est ilia predicatio, quae verberibus exio-it fidem,” Much more miht lie have said, “Quse verberibus castigat pietatem.”

[7.] Another part of our oversight lieth in visiting the sick, and helping them to prepare either for a fruitful life, or a happy death. Though this be the business of all our life and theirs, yet doth it at such a season require extraordinary care both of them and us. When time is almost gone, and they must be now or never reconciled to God, and possessed of His grace, oh, how doth it concern them to redeem those hours, and lay hold upon eternal life! And when we see that we are likely to have but a few days or hours more to speak to them, in order to their endless state, what man that is not an infidel or a block, would not be wdth them, and do all that he can for their salvation in that short space I

AVill it not awaken us to compassion to look upon a languishing man, and to think that within a few days his soul will be in heaven or hein Surely it will much try the faith and seriousness of ministers and others, to be about dying men. They will have much opportunity to discern whether they are themselves in good sadness about the matters of the life to come. So great is the change that is made by death, that it should awaken us to the greatest sensibility, to see a man so near it, and should provoke us in the deepest pangs of compassion, to do the office of inferior angels for the soul before it is departed from the flesh, that it may be ready for the convoy of superior angels to transmit it to the prepared glory when it is removed from sin and misery. When a man is almost at his journey’s end, and the next step puts him into

Leaven or hell, it is time for us to help him if we can, while there is hope. As Bernard saith, the death of the righteous is “bona propter requiem, melior propter novitatem, optima propter securitatem: sed mors peccatorum est mala in mimdi amissione, pejor in carnis separatione, pessima in vermis ignisque diiplici contritione.” Could they have any hope that it would be their “ultima linea rerum,” and that they have no more to suffer when that dismal day is past, they might have such abatements of their terror to die as brutes, who fear no sorrow after death. But it is so far otherwise, that death itself is the smallest matter that they need to care for. “Sed moriendo quo ire cogantur, ut August.’’ It is not the “prima mors quae an imam pellit ^^.olenter e corpore,” that is the most terrible, “sed secunda quae animam nolentem tenent in corpore, inquit. Idem.”

And as their present necessity should move us to take that opportunity for their good, so should the advantaoe that sickness and the foresioht of death

o o

affordeth. There are few of the stoutest hearts but win hear us on their death-bed, that scorned us before. They will then let fall their fury, and be as tame as lambs, that were before as untractable as wasps or madmen: a man may speak to them then, that could not before. I find not one of ten of the most obstinate, scornful wretches in the parish, but when they come to die, will humble themselves, confess their fault, and seem penitent, and promise, if they should recover, to do so no more. If the very meditations of death be so effectual in the time of health, that it is, saith Augustinus, “quasi Clavis carnis omnes motus superbiae ligno crucis affigens,” (1. 2. de Doct. Christ.,)

140 GILDAS SALVIxNUS:

much more when it comes in, as it were, at the -indow, and looks men in the face. Cyprian saith to those in health, “Qui se quotidie recordatur moritumm esse, contemnit praesentia, et ad futura festinat;” much more “qui sent it se statim moriturum. Nil ita revocat peccato,” saith Austin, “quam frequens mortis meditatio,” Oh, how resolvedly will the worst of them seem to cast away their sins, and promise a reformation, and cry out of their folly, and of the vanity of this world, when they see that death is in good earnest with them, and away they must without delay! Perhaps you will say, that these forced changes are not cordial, and therefore we have no great hope of doing them any saving good. I confess it is very common to be frightened into ineffectual purposes, but not so common to be at such a season converted to fixed resolutions: and as Austin saith, “Non potest male mori, qui bene vixerit; et vix bene moritur, qui male vixit.” Yet “vix” and “nunquam” are not all one. It should make both them and us the more dilio;ent in the time of health, because it is “vix;” but yet we should bestir us at the last, in the use of the last remedies, because it is not “nunquam.”

And it will not be unuseful to ourselves to read such lectures of our own mortality. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting; for it tendeth to make the heart better when we see the end of all the living, and what it is that the world will do for those that sell their salvation for it. When we see that it will be our own case, and there is no escape —

(” Scilicit omne sacrum mors importuna propbanat, Omnibus obscm-as injicit ilia maiius”) — it will make us talk to ourselves in Bernard’s language, — “Quare, 0 miser, non omni liora ad mortem te disponis 1 Cogita te jam mortuum, quern scis necessitate moriturum; distingue qualiter oculi vertentnr in capite, venae rumpentur in corpore, et cor scindetur dolore.” AVhen we see that (as lie saith) death spareth none: “inopise non miseretur, non reveretur divitias; non sapientise, non moribus, non setati denique parcit; nisi quod senibus mors est in januis, juvenibus vero in insidiis;” it will excite us the better to consider the use of faith and holiness: that it is not to put by death, but to put by hell; not that we may not die as certainly as others, but that we may die better, and be certainly happy after death.

Because I do not intend a directory for the whole ministerial work, I will not stand to tell you particularly what must be done for men in that last extremity, but only choose out these three or four things to remember you of, passing by all the rest.

1st, Stay not till strength and understanding be gone, and the time so short that you scarcely know what you do; but go to them as soon as you hear that they are sick, whether they send for you or not.

2d, When the time is so short, that there is no opportunity to endeavour the change of their hearts in that distinct way as is usual with others, nor to press truths upon them in such order, and stay the working of it by degrees, we must therefore be sure to ply the main, and dwell upon those truths which must do the great work, shewing them the certainty and glory of the life to come, and the way by which it was purchased for us, and the great sin and folly of their neglecting it in time of health; but yet the possibility that remaineth of obtaining it, if they do but close with it heartily as their happiness, and mth the Lord Jesus as the way thereto, abhorring themselves for their former evil, and now unfeignedly resigning themselves up to Him, to be justified, sanctified, ruled, and saved. Three things must be chiefly insisted on, — 1. The end: the certainty and greatness of the glory of the saints in the presence of God, that so their hearts may be set upon it. 2, The sufficiency and necessity of the redemption by Jesns Christ, and the fulness of the Spirit, which we may and must be made partakers of. This is the principal way to the end, and the nearer end itself. 3. The necessity and nature of faith, repentance, and resolutions for new obedience, according as there shall be opportunity. This is the subservient way, or the means that, on our part, must be performed.

3d, Labour, upon conviction and deliberation, to engage them, by solemn promise, to Christ and new obedience, according to their opportunity, especially if you see any likelihood of their recoveiy.

4th, If they do recover, be sure to mind them of their promises. Go to them purposely to set it home, and reduce them into performance; and whenever after you see them remiss, go to them then, and remind them of what they formerly said. And because it is of such use to them that recover, (and hath been a means of the conversion of many a soul,) it is very necessary that you go to them whose sickness is not mortal, as well as to them that are nearer death; and so we may have some advantage to move them to repentance and engage them to newness of life, and may afterward have this to plead against their sins. As a bishop of Colen is said by -^Eneas Silvius to have answered the Emperor Sigismund, when he asked him what was the way to be saved — that “he must be what he purposed or promised to be when he was last troubled wdth the stone or gout” — so may we hereafter answer these.

[8.] Another part of our ministerial oversight consisteth in the rieht comfortino; the consciences of the troubled, and settling our people in a well-grounded peace. But this I have spoken of elsewhere, and others have done it more at large.

[9.] Another part of this oversight consists in reproving and admonishing those that live offensively or impenitently, and receiving the information of those that have admonished them more privately in vain. Before we brino- such matters to the cono-reo-ao Cotion, or to a representative church, it is ordinarily most fit for the minister to try himself what he can do more privately to bow the sinner to repentance, especially if it be not a public crime. A great deal of skill is here required, and- difference must be made, according to the various tempers of offenders; but, with the most, it will be necessary to begin with the greatest plainness and power, in order to shake their careless hearts, and make them see what it is to dally mth sin; to let them know the evil of it, and its sad effects, and the unkindness, unreasonableness, unprofitableness, and other aggravations; and what it is they do against God and themselves. For the matter, the following directions may be applied: —

[10.] The next part of our oversight lies in the use of church discipline; and this consisteth, after the aforesaid private reproofs: In more public reproof — Persuacling the person to meet expressions of repentance. — Praying for them. — Restoring the penitent. — Excluding and avoiding the impenitent. 1. And for reproof, these thino-s must be obser^ed: That the accusations of none, no, not the best in the church, be taken vnthout proof, nor rashly entertained; nor that a minister should make himself a party before he have a sufficient evidence of the case. It is better to let many vicious persons go unpunished, or uncensured, when we want sufficient evidence, than to censure one unjustly; which we may easily do, if we will go upon too bold presumptions; and then it will bring upon the pastors the scandal of partiality, and unrighteous and injurious dealing, and make all their reproofs and censures contemptible. 2. Let there be, therefore, a less pul)lic meeting of chosen persons (as the officers and some delegates of the church on their behalf) to have the hearing of all such cases before they be made more public. Once a month, at a set place, they may come together to receive what charge shall be brought against any member of the church, that it may be considered whether it be just, and the offender may be dealt with then first: and if the fault l3e either less public or less heinous, so that a less public profession of repentance may satisfy, then if the party shall there profess repentance, it may suffice. 3. But if it be not so, or if the party remain impenitent, he must be reproved before all, and there again in^T.ted to repentance. This duty is not the less because our brethren have made so little conscience of the practice of it. It is not only Christ’s command to tell the church, but Paul’s to rebuke such before all; and the church hath constantly practised it till selfishness and formality caused them to be remiss in this and other duties together; and the Keformers have as much stood up for it as the rest; and as deeply are we engaged by vows, covenants, prayers, and other means, for the executing of it: of which more in the application. Austin saith, “Quae peccantur coram omnibus, coram omnibus corripienda sunt, ut omnes timeant: Qui secreto peccant in te, secreto corripe; nam si solus nosti, et eum vis coram aliis arguere, non es corrector sed proditor,” Greg. Mag. in Eegistro, saith, “Manifesta peccata non sunt occulta correctione purganda: sed palam sunt arguendi qui palam nocent; ut dum aperta objurgatione sanantur, hi qui eos imitando delinquerant, corrigantur. Dum enim unus corripitur, plurimi emendantur, et melius est ut pro multorum salute unus condemnetur, quam ut per unius licentiam multi periclitentur.” Isidore saith, “Qui admonitus secret de peccato corrigi negligit, publice arguendus est, et vulnus quod occulte sanari nescit, manifeste debeat emendari.” If any should say that we shall thus be guilty of defaming men by publishing their crimes, I answer, in the words of Bernard sup. Cantic, “Cum carpuntur vitise, et inde scandalum oritur, ipse sibi scandali causa est, qui fecit quod argui debet; non ille qui arguit. Non ergo, timeas contra charitatem esse, si unius scandalum multorum recompensaveris pace. Melius est enim ut pereat unus quam unitas.” There is no room for a doubt, whether this be our duty, or whether we are unfaithful as to the performance of it. I doubt many of us that would be ashamed to omit preaching or praying half so much, have little considered what we do in the wilful neglect of this duty, and the rest of discipline, so long as we have done. We little think how we have drawn the

K guilt of swearing, and drunkenness, and fornication, and other crimes upon our own heads, for want of using God’s means for the cure of them. As Greg. Mag. saith in Registro, “Qui non corrigit resecanda, committit: et facientis cidpam habet, qui quod potest corrigere, negligit emendare,” saith the comedian. “Si quid me scis fecisse inscite aut improbe, si id non accusas, tuipse objurgandus es.” (Plant.)

If any say, there is little likelihood that public, personal reprehension should do good on them, because they will be but enraged by the shame, I answer: — 1. Philo, a Jew, could say (de Sacrif. Abel and Cain), “We must endeavour, as far as we are able, to save those from their sins that shall certainly perish; imitating good physicians, who, when they cannot save a sick man, do yet willingly try all means for cure, lest they seem to want success through their own neglects.” 2. I further answer, It ill beseems the silly creature to implead the ordinances of God as useless, or to reproach His service instead of doing it, and set their wits against their Maker. God can make use of His own ordinances, or else He would never have appointed them. 3. The usefulness of this discipline is apparent to the shaming of sin, and humbling of the sinner; and manifesting the holiness of Christ and His doctrine, and Church, before all the world. 4. What would you have done with such sinners? give them up as hopeless? That were too cruel. Would you use other means? Why, it is supposed that all other have been used without success; for this is the last remedy. 5. The Church of Christ hath found reason enough to use this course, even in times of persecution, when our carnal reason would have told them that they should then above all have forborne it, for fear of driving away all their converts. 6. The principal use of this public discipline is not for the oflfender himself, but for the Church. It tendeth exceedingly to deter others from the like crimes, and so to keep pure the congregations, and their worship. Seneca could say, “Vitia transmittit ad posteros, qui praesentibus culpis ignoscit.” And elsewhere, “Bonis nocet, qui malis parcit.” If you say, that it will but restrain them as hyocrites, and not convert them: I answer, It may preserve others. And who knows how God may bliss His ordinance, even to them 1 The restraint of sin is a benefit not to be contemned.” Audebo peccanti mala sua ostendere: vitia ejus si non excidero, inhibebo. Non desinent; sed intermittent: fortasse autem desinent, si intermittendi consuetudinem fecerint,’’ said the moralist, Sen. Epist. 40. The scorns that I have heard from many against the Scottish ministers, for brinonno; offenders to the stool of repentance, as if it were mere formality and hypocrisy to take such a thing as satisfactory, when true repentance is absent, hath discovered more of the accuser’s error than of theirs. For no doubt it is true repentance that they exhort men to; and it is true repentance which offenders do profess; and whether they truly profess it, who can teU but Godl It is not for nothing that sin is brought to so much disgrace, and the Church doth so far acquit themselves of it. But of this next.

Next to the duty of public reproof must be joined an exhortation of the person to repentance, and to the public profession of it for the satisfaction of the Church. For as the Church is bound to avoid communion with impenitent, scandaloue sinners, so when they have had the evidence of their sin, they must see some evidence of their repentance; for we cannot know them to be penitent without evidence. And what evidence is the Church capable of, but their profession of repentance, first, and their actual reformation afterwards’? both which must be expected.

To these may be most fitly joined the public prayers of the Church, and that both for the reproved before they are rejected, and for the rejected (some of them at least) that they may repent and be restored. But we are now upon the former. Though this is not expressly affixed to discipline, yet we have a sufficient discovery of God’s will concerning it in the general precepts. We are commanded to jpra?/ always; and in all things, and for all men, and in all])laces: and all things are said to be sanctified by it. It is plain, therefore, that so great a business as this should not be done without it. And who can have any just reason to be offended with us, if we pray to God for the changing of their hearts, and the pardon of their sins’? It is therefore, in my judgment, a very laudable course of those Churches that use for the three next days together to desire the congregation to join in earnest prayer to God for the opening of the sinner’s eyes, softening his heart, and saving him from impenitency and eternal death. And though we have no express direction in Scripture just how long we shall stay to try whether the sinner be so impenitent, as to be necessarily excluded, yet we must follow the general directions, with such diversity as the case and quality of the person and former proceeding shall require; it being left to the discretion of the Church, who are in general, to stay so long till the person manifest himself obstinate in his sin: not but that a temporary exclusion, called suspension, may often be inflicted in the meantime; but before we proceed to an exclusion “h, statu,” it is very meet (ordinarily) that three days’ prayer for him and patience towards him should antecede.

And, indeed, I see no reason why this course should not be much more frequent than it is; and that not only upon those that are members of our special charge, and do consent to discipline, but even to those that deny our pastoral oversight and discipline, and yet are our ordinary hearers. For, so far as men have Christian communion or familiarity with us, so far are they capable of being; excluded from communion. Thouoh the members of our special charge have more full and special communion, and so are more capable of a more full and special exclusion; yet all those that dwell among us, and are our ordinary hearers, have some communion. For as they converse with us, so they hear the word, not as heathens, but as Christians and members of the Universal Church, into which they have been baptized; and they join with us in public prayers and praises in the celebration of the Lord’s day. From this, therefore, they are capable of being excluded, or from part of this, at least morally, if not locally. For the precept of avoiding, and idilidrawing from, and not eating with such, is not restrained to the members of a governed church, but extended to all Christians that are capable of communion.

When these ungodly persons are sick, we have daily bills from them to request the prayers of the congregation; and if we must pray for them against sickness and temporal death, I know no reason but we should much more earnestly pray for them against sin and eternal death. That we have not their consent, is no dissuasive, for that is their disease, and the very venom and malignity of it; and we do not take it to be sober arguing to say, “I may not pray for such a man against his sickness, because he is sick;” or, “If he were not sick, I would pray against his sickness.”- No more is it to say, “If he were not impenitent so as to refuse our prayers, I would pray that he might be saved from his impenitency.” I confess I do not take myself to have so strict a charge over this sort of men, who renounce my oversight, as I do over the rest that own it; and that is the reason why I have called no more of them to public repentance, because it requireth most commonly more time to examine the matter of fact, or deal with the person first more privately, that his impenitency may be discerned, than I can possibly spare from the duties which I owe to my special charge, to whom I am more indebted; and therefore may ordinarily expend no more on the rest (who are to me but as strangers, or men of another parish, and of no governed, particular church,) than I can spare when I have done my main duty to my flock. But yet, though I cannot use any such discipline on all that sort, nor am so much obliged to do it, yet some of them that are most notoriously and openly wicked, where less proof and short debates are requisite, I intend to deal thus with hereafter, having found some success in that kind already. But especially to all those whom we take for members of that particular church which we are pastors of, there is no question but this is our duty, and therefore where the whole parish are members, discipline must be exercised on the whole.

I confess much prudence is to be exercised in such proceedings, lest we do more hurt than good; but it must be such Christian prudence as ordereth duties, and suiteth them to their ends, and not such carnal prudence as shall enervate or exclude them. It may be fit therefore for younger ministers to consult with others, for the more cautious proceeding in such works. And in the performance of it we should deal humbly, even when we deal most sharply, and make it appear that it is not from any contending or lordly disposition, nor an act of revenge for any injury, but a necessary duty which we cannot conscientiously avoid; and therefore it will be meet we disclaim all such animosities, and shew the people the commands of God obliging us to what we do.

“Neighbours and brethren, sin is so hateful an evil in the eyes of the most holy God, how light soever impenitent sinners make of it, that He hath provided the everlasting torments of hell for the punishment of it; and no less means can prevent that punishment than the sacrifice of the blood of the Son of God, applied to those that truly repent of it and forsake it, and therefore God, that calleth all men to repentance, hath commanded us to exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day, lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, (Heb. iii, 13;) and that we do not hate our brother in our heart, but in anywise rebuke our neighbour, and not sufifer sin upon him, (Lev, xix. 17;) and that if our brother offend us, we should tell him his faults between him and us; and if he hear not, take two or three, and if he hear not them, tell the church; and if he hear not the church, he must be to us as a heathen or a publican, (Matt, xviii 17;) and

If) 2 GILDAS SALVIANUS:

those that sin, we must rebuke before all, that others may fear, (1 Tim. v. 20;) and rebuke with all authority, (Tit. i. 15.) Yea, were it an apostle of Christ that should openly sin, he must be openly reproved, as Paul did Peter, (Gal. ii. 11, 14;) and if they repent not, we must avoid them, and with such not so much as eat, (2 Thess. iii. 6, 12, 14; 1 Cor. v. 11, 13.) According to these commands of the Lord, having heard of the scandalous practice of N. N. of this church, (or parish,) and having received sufficient proof

that he hath committed the odious sin of; we

have seriously dealt with him to bring him to repentance; but, to the grief of our hearts, do perceive no satisfactory success of our endeavours; but he seemeth still to remain impenitent, or still liveth in the same sin, though he verbally profess repentance. We do therefore judge it our necessary duty to proceed to the use of that further remedy which Christ hath commanded us to try; and hence we desire him in the name of the Lord, without any further delay, to lay by his obstinacy against the Lord and to submit to His rebuke and will, and to lay to heart the greatness of his sin, the wrong he hath done to Christ and to himself, and the scandal and grief that he hath caused to others; and how unable he is to contend with the Almighty, and prevail against the holy God, who to the impenitent is a consuming fire! or to save himself from His burning indignation! And I do earnestly beseech him, for the sake of his own soul, that he will but soberly consider what it is that he can gain by his sin or impenitency, and whether it will pay for the loss of everlasting life? And how he thinks to stand against God in judgment, or to appear before the Lord

Jesus, when death shall snatch his soul from his body, if he be found in this impenitent state; when the Lord Jesus himself, in whose blood they pretend to trust, hath told such with His own mouth, that except they repent they shall all perish? (Luke xiii. 3, 5.) And I do beseech him, for the sake of his own soul, and require him, as a messenger of Jesus Christ, as he will answer the contrary at the bar of God, that he lay by the stoutness and impenitency of his heart, and unfeignedly confess and lament his sin before God and this congregation! And this desire I here publish, not out of any ill-will to his person, as the Lord knoweth, but in love to his soul, and in obedience to Christ, that hath made it my duty; desiring, that if it be possible, he may be saved from his sin, and from the power of Satan, and from the everlasting burning wrath of God, and may be reconciled to God, and to His Church, and therefore that he may be humbled by true contrition, before he be humbled by remediless condemnation,”

Thus, or to this purpose, I conceive our public admonition should proceed; and in some cases where the sinner taketh his sin to be small, the aggravation of it will be necessary, especially the citing of some texts of Scripture that do aggravate and threaten it.

And in case he either will not be present, that such admonition may be given him, or will not be brought to a discovery of repentance, and to desire the prayers of the congregation for him, it will be meet that with such a preface as this afore expressed, we desire the prayers of the congregation for him ourselves; that the people would consider what a fearful condition the impenitent are in, and have pity on a poor soul that Is so blinded and hardened by sin and Satan, that he cannot pity himself; and think what it is for a man to appear before the livino; God in such a case, and therefore that they would join in earnest prayer to God, that he would open his eyes, and soften and humble his stubborn heart, before he be in hell beyond remedy: and accordingly let us be very earnest in prayer for such, that the congregation may be provoked affectionately to join with us; and who knows but God may hear such prayers, and cause the sinner’s heart to relent! However, the people will perceive that we make not light of sin, and preach not to them in mere custom or formality. If ministers would be conscientious in thus carrying on the work of God entirely and self-denyingly, they might make something of it, and expect a fuller blessing. But when we shrink from all that is dangerous or ungrateful, and shift off all that is costly or troublesome, they cannot expect that any great matter should be done by such carnal, partial use of means; and though some may be here and there called home to God, yet we cannot look that the gospel should prevail, and run, and be glorified, where it is so lamely and defectively carried on.

AVhen a sinner is thus admonished, and prayed for, if it please the Lord to open his eyes and give him remorse, before we proceed to any further censure, it is our next duty to proceed to his full recovery; where these things must be observed: — 1. That we do not either discourage him by too much severity, nor yet by too much lenity and levity make nothing of discipline, nor help him to any saving cure, but merely slubber it over. If therefore he have sinned scandalously but once, if his repentance seem deep and serious.

we may in some cases restore him at that time; that is, if the wound that he hath given to the credit of the church be not so deep as to require more ado for satisfaction, or the sin so heinous as may cause us to delay. But if it be so, or if he have lived long in the sin, it is most meet that he do wait in penitence a convenient time before he be restored. 2. And when the time comes, whether at the first confession, or after, it is meet that we urge him to be serious in his humiliation, and set it home upon his conscience tiU he seem to be truly sensible of his sin; for it is not a vain formality, but the recovery and saving of a soul that we expect. 3. We must see that he beg the communion of the church, and their prayers to God for his pardon and salvation. 4. And that he promise to fly from such sin for the time to come, and watch more narrowly, and walk more warily. 5. Then we have these things more to do: — To assure him of the riches of God’s love, and the sufficiency of Christ’s blood to pardon his sins, and that if his repentance be sincere, the Lord doth pardon him, of which we are authorised as His messengers to assure him: — to charge him to persevere and perform his promises, avoid temptations, and continue to beg mercy and strengthening grace: — to charge the church that they imitate Christ in forgiving and retaining; or if he were cast out, receive the penitent person into their communion, and that they never reproach him with his sins, or cast them in his teeth, but forgive and forget them as Christ doth. And then to give God thanks for his recovery so far, and to pray for his confirmation and future preservation.

The next part of discipline is the rejecting and removing from the church’s communion those that after sufficient trial do remain impenitent; where note —

1. That if a man have sinned but once in a scandalous manner, it is but a profession of repentance that we can expect for our satisfaction; but if he be accustomed to sin, or have often broke such promises, then it is an actual reformation we must expect. And, therefore, he that will refuse either of these, to reform, or to profess and manifest repentance, is to be taken by us as living in his sin: for a heinous sin, but once committed, is morally continued in till it be repented of; and a bare forbearing of the act is not sufficient.

2. Yet have we no warrant to rip up matters that are worn out of the public memory, and so to make that public again that is ceased to be public: at least in ordinary cases. 3. Exclusion from church-communion, commonly called excommunication, is of divers sorts or degrees, more than two or three, which are not to be confounded; of which, I will not so far digress as here to treat. 4. That which is most commonly to be practised among us is, only to remove an impenitent sinner from our communion, till it shall please the Lord to give him repentance. 5. In this exclusion or removal, the minister or governors of that church are authoritatively to charge the peoj)le, in the name of the Lord, to avoid communion with him; and to pronounce him one whose communion the church is bound to avoid; and the people’s duty is obedientiaUy to avoid him, in case the pastor’s charge contradict not the Word of God. So that he hath the guiding or governing power; and they have a discerning power, whether his charge be just, and an executive power; for it is they that must execute the sentence in part by avoiding the rejected, as he himself must execute it by denying him those ordinances and privileges not due to him, whereof he is the administrator. 6. It is very convenient to pray for the repentance and restoration, even of the excommunicated. 7. And if God shall give them repentance, they are gladly to be received into the communion of the church again.

Of the manner of all these I shall say no more, so much hadng been said of them already. And for the manner of other particular duties, of which I have said little or nothing, you have much already, as in other writings, so in the Directory of the late Assembly.

Would we were but so far faithful in the practice of this discipUne as we are satisfied both of the matter and manner; and did not dispraise and reproach it by our negligence, while we write and plead for it with the highest commendations. It is worthy our consideration, who are like to have the heavier charge about this matter at the bar of Godl Whether those deluded ones, that have reproached and hindered discipline by their tongues, because they knew not its nature and necessity; or we, that have so vilified it by our constant omission, while with our tongues we have magnified itl If hypocrisy be no sin, or if the knowledge of our Master’s will be no ao-oravation of the evil of disobedience, then we are in a better case than they. I will not advise the zealous maintainers, and obstinate neglecters and rejecters of discipline, to unsay all that they have said, till they are ready to do as they say, nor to recant their defences of discipline till they mean to practise it, nor to burn all the books that they have written for it, and all the records of their costs and hazards for it, lest they rise up in judgment against them to their confusion; nor that they recant their condemnation of the prelates in this, till they mean a little further to outgo them. But I would persuade them, without any more delay, to conform their practices to these testimonies which they have given, lest the more they are proved to have commended discipline, the more they are proved to have condemned themselves for neglecting it.

I have often marvelled that the same men who have been much offended at the books that have been WTitten for free admission to the Lord’s Supper, or for mixed communion in that one part, have been no more offended at as free permission in a church state, and as free admission to other parts of communion; and that they have made so small a matter at as much mixture in all the rest. I should think that it is a greater profanation to permit an obstinate, scandalous sinner to be a stated member of that particular church, without any first private, and then public admonition, prayer for him, or censure of him, than for a single pastor to admit him to the Lord’s Supper, if he had no power to censure him, as these suppose. I should think that the faithful practice of discipline in the other parts would soon put an end to the controversy about free admission to the Lord’s Supper, and heal the hurt that such discourses have done to our people. For those discourses have more modesty than to plead for a free admission of the censured or rejected ones; but it is only of those that have yet their standing in that church, and are not censured. And if, when they forfeit their title to church communion, we would deal with them in Christ’s appointed way, till we had either reclaimed them to repentance, or censure them to be avoided, it would be past controversy then that they were not to be admitted to that one act of communion in the Supper, who are justly excluded from the whole. But as Ions; as we leave them uncensured members, and tell a single pastor that he hath no power to censure them, we tempt him to think that he hath no power then to deny them that communion with the body which is the common privilege of all uncensured members.

And as we thus ourselves oppose discipline in part, or cherish church corruption in part, one party being for the free admission of them, while members, to the sacraments, and the other as freely permitting them in church state, and other parts of communion, while they exclude them from the sacrament; so some have learned to tie these ends together, and by holding both, set open the doors of church and chancel, pluck up the hedge, and lay the vineyard common to the wilderness. It hath somewhat amazed me to hear some that I took for reverend, godly divines, to reproach, as a sect, the Sacramentarians and Disciplinarians. And when 1 desired to know whom they meant, they told me they meant them that will not give the sacrament to all the parish, and them that will make distinction by their discipline. I thought the tempter had gained a great victory if he had but got one godly pastor of a church to neglect discipline, as well as if he had got him to neglect preaching: much more if he had got him to approve of that neglect; but it seems he hath got some to scorn at the performers of the duty which they neglect. As the impure were wont to reproach the diligent by the name of Puritans, so do they reproach the faithful pastors by the name of Disciplinarians. And I could wish they would remember what the ancient reproaches were both symptomatically and effectively, and accordingly judge impartially of themselves, and fear a participation of the judgment that befell them. Sure I am, if it were well understood how much of the pastoral authority and work consisteth in church guidance, it would be almost discerned, that to be against discipline is “tantum non” to be against the ministry; and to be against the ministry is “tantum non” to 1)6 absolutely against the Church; and to be against the Church is near to being absolutely against Christ. Blame not the harshness of the inference, till you can avoid it, and free yourselves from the charge of it before the Lord. Prelates would have some discipline; and other parties would have some. Yea, Papists themselves would have some, and plead only against others about the form and manner of it. But these are so much worse than all that they would have none. Was not Christ himself the leader of these Disciplinarians, who instituted discipline, and made His ministers the rulers or guides of His Church, and put the keys of the kingdom into their hand, and commanded the very particular acts of discipline, and required the people to submit to them, and obey them in the Lord? What would these men have said, if they had seen the practice of the ancient Church for many hundred years after Christ, who exercised a discipline so much more rigorous than any among us do, and that even in the heat of heathen persecutions; as if they read only the ancient canons and Cyprian’s epistles, they may soon see, though they look uo further? And it was not then (no, nor after, under Christian magistrates,) taken to be a useless thing; nor would it appear such now, if it were shewed in its strength and beauty by a vigorous practice: for it is a thing that is not effectually manifested to the ear, but to the eye; and you will never make men know well what it is by mere talking of it — till they see it they will be strangers to it. As it is in the military art, or in navigation, or in the government of commonwealths, which are so little known till learned by experience. And that will tell us that, as Cyprian saith, “Disciplina est custos spei, retinaculum fidei, dux itineris salutaris, fomes ac nutrimentum bona? indohs, magistra virtutis; facit in Christo manere semper, ac jugitur Deo vivere, ad promissa coelestia, et divina preemia pervenire: Hanc et sectari salubre est, et aversari ac neglisrere lathale:” as he

begins his book “de Discip. et hab. Virg.” p. (mihi) 265. AVhen the martyrs and confessors would, upon other’s persuasions, have had some offenders restored before they had made confession, and manifested openly repentance for their sin, and been absolved by their pastor, Cyprian resisteth it, and tells them that they that stand so firmly to the faith should stand as firmly to Christ’s law and discipline: “Sollicitudo loci nostri, et timor Domini compellit, fortissimi ac beatissimi Martyres, admonere vos Uteris nostris, ut k quibus tam devote et fortiter servatur fides Domino, ab iisdem lex quoque et disciplina Domini reservetur,” &c. (Epist. 11, p. 32.) Upon which Goidartius puts this note, locus “de necessitate disciplines in Domo Dei, quam qui tollunt, et manifesto impios ac sceleratos ad mensam Christi, sine censura Ecclesiastica, et acta poenitentia pro dilectorum ratione recipiunt, ii videant quam de gregibus sibi commissi s Pastori summo rationem reddituri sint; vel quid commune habeant in Ecclesiarum suarum rgimine cum beato illo Cypriani et aliorum vere Episcoporum Christianorum seculo.” And Cyp. Epist. 67, p. 199, mentioning God’s threatenings to negligent pastors, addeth, “Cum ergo pastoribus talibus per quos Dominicse oves negligantur et pereant, sic Dominus comminetur, quid nos aliud facere opportet, quam colligendis et revocandis Christi ovibus exhibere diligentiam plenam, et curandis lapsorum vulneribus paternse pietatis adhibere medicinaml” In Epist. 61, 28, 38, 41, 49, 53, 55, and many other places of Cyprian, you may see that they were then no contemners of discipline: Vide etiam, eundem de Orat. Dominic, p. 313, in Pet. 4.

Saith Augustine, “Ibi superbia, ubi negligitur Disciplina: Nam Disciplina est JVIagistra Eeligionis et verae pietatis, quae nee ideo increpat ut laedat, nee ideo castigat ut noceat,” &c. Saith Bernard, Ep. 113, “0 quam compositum reddit omnem corporis statum, nee non et mentis habitum disciplina! Cervicem submittit, pone supercilia, componit vultum, ligat oculos, mode- ^atur linguam, frsenat gulam, sedat iram, formatincessum.”

I know that when the Church began to be tainted with vain inventions, the word discipline began to have another signification for their own various rules of life and austere impositions, touch not, taste not, handle not; but it is the ancient and truly Christian discipline that I am contending for. So much for the acts of pastoral oversight.

From what hath been said, we may see that the pastoral office is another kind of thing than those men have taken it to be, who think it consisteth in preaching and administering sacraments only; much more than they have taken it for, who think it consisteth in making new laws or canons to bind the Church: as if God had not made us laws sufficient; and as if He had committed the proper legislative power over His Church to ministers or bishops, whose office is but to expound, and apply, and execute, in their places, the laws of Christ.

Object. “But will you deny to bishops the power of making canons? What are all those articles that you have agreed on among yourselves about catechising and discipline, but such things”

Ans. 1. I know pastors may teach, and expound Scripture, and deliver that in writing to the people, and apply the Scripture generals to their own and the people’s particular case, if you will call this making canons. 2. And they may and ought to agree among themselves for an unanimous performance of their duties, when they have discovered them, that so they may excite one another, and be more strong and successful in their work. 3. And they must determine the circumstances of worship in special, which God hath only determined in general; as what time and place they shall meet in, what chapter read, what text preach on, what shape the table, cups, &c., shall be; where the pulpit, when each person shall come to be catechised or instructed, and whither, &c. But these are actions that are fitter to be ordered by them that are in the place, than by distant canon-makers; and to agree for unity in a necessary duty, as we have done, is not to make laws, or arrogate authority over our brethren. Of this I refer you to Luther de Conciliis at large, and to Grotius de Imper. sum. pot., that canons are not properly laws.