Of Fundamentals, Treatise · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. Of the neceſſaries to the ſuperſtructing of good life on this Foundation.
§. 1. THere is ſtill a fourth branch of Diſcourſe behinde, which by the laws of the deſigned method, muſt now briefly be conſider'd, What things are neceſſary to the erecting of this ſuperſtructure on this Foundation, whether in a particular Chriſtian, or eſpecially in a Church, or ſocietie of ſuch.
§. 2. Where by [neceſſary] I mean not the ſupernatural neceſſaries, Three kindes of neceſſaries.the preventing, and aſſiſting, and renewing grace of God, which we ſuppoſe God ready to annex to the Revelation of his will, in the hearts of all that with obedient humble ſpirits receive, and ſincerely imbrace it; Nor 2dly, in the Phyſical notion of neceſſity, that without which the work cannot poſſibly be done, the building be erected, for in this ſenſe, as was ſaid, it cannot be affirmed of all the Articles of the Creed, that they are thus abſolutely neceſſary, i. e. that no man can be imagined to reform his life, ſo as to be acceptable to God, but he to whom every of thoſe Articles hath been intelligibly revealed; (For of many plain, yet pious Chriſtians 'tis not certain, that that can truly be now affirmed, and of the pious Jews before Chriſt's time, it is not ſo much as pretended.)
Morally neceſſary to this end.§. 3. But by neceſſary] I mean that which is morally neceſſary to this end, i. e. very uſeful and helpful to advance it, and make it moſt probable to be attained, among men of thoſe tempers, which we are commonly to look for in the world; Meaning alſo by the end to which theſe means are ordinable, not onelyonly the firſt act of change, reſolution of reforming, but withall the continuance and perſeverance in ſuch reſolutions, and the bringing forth meet fruits of repentance, and that again, not in a ſingle perſon only, but in a communitie or multitude of men.
§. 4. And in paſſing our judgment on this kinde of Neceſſaries, it will not be modeſtly nor ſoberly done, if any of our own wiſdome intrude or interpoſe or be willing to make additions to what Chriſt & his Apoſtles have deſigned,What the Univerſal Church of Chriſt hath thought thus Neceſſary. and the Ʋniverſal practiſe of the Church hath ſucceſfully uſed, and recommended to us in this kinde; And therefore all that we have farther to doe, is, to recollect, what things there are which are thus brought down unto us.
§. 5. And that will appear to be a methodical ſucceſſive obſervation of theſe ſeverals, as degrees and ſteps, preparative the one to the other, and all together, thus orderly uſed, ſufficient through the bleſſing of God (and more probable then any courſe we could likely have pitched on) to attain the deſigned end ſucceſsfully.
§. 6.1. Baptiſme, A ſolemn admiſſion of Proſelytes, all that either, being of age, deſire that admiſſion for themſelves, or that, in infancie, are by others preſented to that charitie of the Church, with the deſires of the parents, and interceſſion of ſureties, that they may be thus early admitted by baptiſme, the Ceremonie of initiating Proſelytes, of entring diſciples into the ſchool of Chriſt.
§. 7. If the perſons thus admitted be of years of underſtanding, then ſome competent degree of inſtruction is reaſonably to prepare for it, which, if they be baptized in infancie, Of Infants.is timely to attend, and ſecurity to be taken for the preſent, that they ſhall be brought to the Church in due time, where that is preſumed to be ready for them. And b…cauſe in an eſtabliſhed Church, where that inſtruction is ſecured on all hands, and ſo is reaſonably preſumed to attend baptiſme, the practiſe of the Church hath alwaie been (tranſcribed from the Apoſtles) to bring infant children to baptiſme ▪ we have all reaſon to adhere to that practiſe, and to acknowledge with thankefulneſs the ſeveral advantages, which it contributes, toward the end of redeeming us from all iniquitie, Benefits of that;and purifying a peculiar people unto Chriſt.
§. 8. Firſt,The firſt. on God's part, it ſecures to the infant a non-imputation of Adam's tranſgreſſion, ſeals unto him an aſſurance of God's not proceeding with him according to the ſtrict Covenant firſt made with man, of a perfect unſinning obedience, by which we could have no hope to be juſtified, and on the contrary receives him into a Covenant of Grace, where there is pardon reached out to all (truly penitent) ſinners, and aſſiſtance promiſed and engaged (and beſtowed upon very eaſie conditions, humility and prayer and affiance in him) and this, in a degree proportionable to what now is required of us, as farre as is truly ſufficient, and can reaſonably be deſired by a rational agent, and as is reconcileable with that liberty, which is neceſſary to be reſerved to the will of man, to make him capable of virtue and vice, and conſequently of reward and puniſhment; And this is a neceſſary expedient to deliver from the encumbrance and weight of fears, and to beget a lively and a quickning hope, and ſo 'tis in it ſelf one excellent principle of action, (which ſlackneth for want of encouragement, and cannot chooſe but be inlivened by ſuch pregnant grounds of it) and thus it muſt needs appear to be, whenſoever the Infant attains to years and means of underſtanding it.
§. 9. Secondly, it is the entring the Infant into the Church, The ſecond.where the means of knowledge of duty dwells, and where it is early communicated to all, and ſo to this infant as ſoon as he is capable of receiving it, And the advantage hereof is ineſtimable, to be thus early taken up and prepoſſeſſed by Chriſt before any other Competitor hath made his claim, or gotten admiſſion or hold or intereſt in him.
The third.§. 10. Thirdly, it is the impoſing a band and ſacramental obligation upon him, an oath, a vow, which being the condition, upon the conſtant performance whereof all the promiſes of endleſſe bliſſe are made over to him by God, it is not poſſible for one that prizeth his own good, to wiſh it had not been made, or deliberately to reſcind or diſclaim the ſtanding obliged by it, And by this means it layes an abſolute neceſſity on every one that hath been baptized, to undertake the performance of Chriſt's condition, i. e. of a pious and Chriſtian life.
The fourth.§. 11. Fourthly, it is ſolemnized with the prayers and benedictions of the Church, which are alwaies of great efficacie to bring down that which is prayed for, but are eſpecially ſo, when they are annexed to an Inſtitution of Chriſt (ſuch as Baptiſme is known to be) and the effect of thoſe benedictions being the preventions, and illuminations, and aſſiſtances, and inſpirations of God's good Spirit, the heavenly auxiliaries, and ſecret hand, by which God hath promiſed to fight againſt Amalek againſt ſin forever, this together with the former advantages is very inſtrumental toward the beginning of this courſe, and ingaging the infant betimes to a conſtant perſeverance in it. And accordingly baptiſme in the Scripture, and the reſt of the particulars which are to attend it, as in ſome reſpect they are to be looked on, as privileges, and advantages afforded us by Chriſt (for ſuch beyond all other things are thoſe, that effectually induce reformation, or Chriſtian life) ſo are they moſt frequently conſidered as bands and obligations, and ſeals of the Chriſtian's Covenant with Chriſt, whereby he ingages his ſoul to a faithful performance of his part of the Covenant, and cannot now without perjurie and Apoſtaſie wilfully recede from it.
§. 12.Catechizing. After Baptiſme (when that is in infancie received, as now in a Chriſtian Church we ſuppoſe it to be) ſucceeds in the next place Inſtruction and inſtitution in the nature and ſeveral branches of that vow which was made at the Font, and this in ſuch a ſhort, perſpicuous, intelligible manner, and in ſo particular addreſſe and application to every ſingle perſon (which, with the narrow-mouthed bottle in Quintilian, will not probably be filled with throwing whole buckets of water over it (to which preaching is moſt fit to be compared) and therefore requires to be taken ſingle in the hand, and to have that which is needful, warily and with care infuſed into it) that it is hardly imaginable how a more provident courſe ſhould be taken, then is by the Church appointed to be uſed, to convince every young perſon of his obligation, and to qualifie him judiciouſly and warily to take that oath in his own perſon, which was by proxies formerly taken for him, and what greater band can lie on any to undertake the duties of Chriſtian life, then the thus ſurveying and renewing of that oath.
§. 13. And what is thus prepared for in Catechizing is in the third place performed by Confirmation, Confirmation.a moſt profitable uſage of the Church tranſcribed from the practiſe of the Apoſtles, which conſiſts in two parts,The firſt part thereof. the childe's undertaking in his own name every part of the baptiſmal vow (having firſt approved himſelf to underſtand it) and to that purpoſe, that he may more ſolemnly enter this obligation, bringing ſome Godfather with him, not now (as in baptiſme) as his Procurator to undertake for him, but as a witneſs to teſtifie his entring this obligation, which one thing being heedfully and piouſly performed, is the greateſt ingagement imaginable to the performance of the matter of the vow (in which all Chriſtian belief and practiſe is folded up) conſidering that every act of preſumptuous ſin, which ſhall ever be committed againſt that vow, brings the guilt of formal downright perjurie along with it▪ together with the puniſhment that belongs to that great and criminous guilt, and the forfeiture of his right and claim to all thoſe mercies, which either in Baptiſme or Confirmation are made over to him by Chriſt.
§. 14.The ſecond. The ſecond part of Confirmation is the prayer and benediction of the Biſhop, the ſucceſſour of the Apoſtles in this office, and that made more ſolemn by the Ceremony of Impoſition of hands, a cuſtome indeed of the Jewiſh parents in bleſſing their children, but taken up by the Apoſtles themſelves, in ſtead of that Divine Inſufflation, which Chriſt had uſed to them in conferring the holy Ghoſt upon them, Joh. 20.22. as an outward ſigne of the ſame, as for holy Orders, Act. 6.6 ſo for Confirmation of believers after baptiſme, Act. 8.18. And the matter of this benediction, and petition, being the ſtrength of Chriſt, the daily increaſe of the manifold gifts of grace, the Spirit of wiſdome, underſtanding, counſel and ghoſtly ſtrength, of knowledge and true godlineſs and holy fear, as the beſtowing of theſe upon the childe is both the ſtrengthning and ingaging him to all piety, to the Biſhop's prayer being thus, by virtue of his office, offered up, and having the ſuffrages of the whole congregation to joyn with it, and being commenced to God for that boon (the Spirit) which he hath promiſed to grant to our importunity, it may moſt reaſonably be preſumed to be of force and efficacie with God to bring down that grace which may inable to will and to doe, on all that come duly qualified to receive it.
§. 15. To which I may adde, that this being deſigned by the Church to certifie thoſe that are thus confirmed of God's favour and gracious goodneſs toward them, it hath all the advantages that either hope of acceptance and reward, or a grateful ſenſe of mercies received can adde to it, to engage and oblige us to a conſtant obedience to him.
§. 16. Fourthly, The Lord's Supper.thoſe which are thus confirmed, are thereby ſuppoſed to be fit for admiſſion to that other ſacrament of the body and blood of Chriſt, inſtituted in the cloſe of his laſt ſupper: And that,In five conſiderations. whether it be conſidered, 1. as an inſtitution of Chriſt for the ſolemn commemorating of his death; or 2. as a ſacrifice Euchariſtical performed by the Chriſtian to God; or 3. as the foreign communication of the Body and blood of Chriſt, the means of conveying all the benefits of the crucified Saviour unto all, that come fitly prepared, and qualified for them; or whether 4. as a federal rite betwixt the ſoul and Chriſt, eating and drinking at his table, and thereby engaging our obedience to him; or laſtly, as an embleme of the moſt perfect divine charity to be obſerved among all Chriſtians; In all and every of theſe reſpects, I ſay, it is doubtleſſe an inſtrument of great virtue, that hath a peculiar propriety to engage the receiver to perſevere in all piety. And that yet farther improved by the frequent iteration, and repetition of that ſacrament.
The firſt.§. 17. 1. As it is the commemorating the death of Chriſt, ſo it is the profeſſing our ſelves the diſciples of the crucified Saviour, and that ingageth us to take up his croſſe and follow him, and not to fall off from him for any temptations, or terrors of death it ſelf, but to reſiſt to blood (as Chriſt did) in our ſpiritual foreign, our Olympicks or combates againſt ſin.
The ſecond.§. 18. 2dly, As it is the Euchariſtical Chriſtian ſacrifice, ſo it is formally the practiſing of ſeveral acts of Chriſtian virtue, 1. of prayer, of thanksgiving, of all kinde of piety towards God; 2. of charity to our brethren, both that ſpiritual, of interceding for all men, for Kings, &c. 1 Tim. 2.1. and corporal, in the offertorie, for the relief of thoſe that want; and 3. the offering up and ſo conſecrating our ſelves, our ſouls and bodies to be a holy, lively, acceptable ſervice to God, the devoting our ſelves to his ſervice all our daies, And this laſt a large comprehenſive act of piety, which contains all particular branches under it, and is again the repeating of the baptiſmal vow, and the yet cloſer binding of this engagement on us.
§. 19. 3dly, As it is by God deſigned, The third.and, as an inſtitution of his, bleſſed and conſecrated by him into a ſacrament, a holy rite, a means of conveying and communicating to the worthy receiver the benefits of the body and blood of Chriſt, that pardon of ſin and ſufficience of ſtrength and grace, which were purchaſed by his death, and typified and conſigned to us by the ſacramental elements, ſo 'tis again the ridding us of all our diſcouraging fears, and the animating and obliging of us to make uſe of that grace, which will carry us (if we doe not wilfully betray our ſuccours) victoriouſly through all difficulties.
The fourth.§. 20. 4thly, As it is a federal rite betwixt God and us (as eating and drinking both among the Jewes and heathens was wont to be) ſo 'tis on our part the ſolemn undertaking of the condition required of us to make us capable of the benefit of God's new Evangelical covenant, and that is ſyncere performance of all duties preſcribed the Chriſtian by Chriſt, And he that doth no longer expect good from God then he performs that condition, is ipſo facto deveſted of all thoſe fallacious flattering hopes, which pretended to make purifying unneceſſary, and muſt now either live purely and piouſly, or elſe diſclaim ever ſeeing of God.
The fift.§. 21. Laſtly, As this ſupper of the Lord is a token and engagement of charity among the diſciples of Chriſt, ſo it is the ſupplanting of all the moſt Diabolical ſins, the filthineſs of the ſpirit, the hatred, variance, emulation, ſtrife, revenge, faction, ſchiſm, that have been the tearing and rending of the Church of God (oft-times upon pretenſe of the greateſt piety) but were by Chriſt, of all other things, moſt paſſionately diſclaimed, and caſt out of his Temple, And if by the admonitions, which this Embleme is ready to afford us, we can think our ſelves obliged to return to that charity and peaceable-mindedneſs, which Chriſt ſo frequently and vehemently recommends to us, we have his own promiſe, that the whole body ſhall be full of light, Mat. 6. that all other Chriſtian virtues will by way of concomitance or annexation, accompany or attend them in our hearts.
§. 22. And the ſeveral happy influences of all and each of theſe conſiderations, eſpecially when they are ſuperadded to the three former grand inſtruments, and frequently, every month at leaſt,The frequency of Receiving it. and every great Feſtivity, called in to reinforce our watch, to remand us to our ſcrutinie (the examination and ſearch of out hearts and purging out all impurity, that hath been contracted in thoſe intervals) and to renew our vows of temper and vigilance, may very reaſonably be allowed to have ſome conſiderable virtue and efficacy in them, to advance that work, for which Chriſt came out from the boſome of his Father, to ſuperſtruct the practiſe of all virtue, where the Faith of Chriſt is once planted.
§. 23. After theſe four, which are thus ſubordinate and preparative the one to the other, the later ſtill bringing with it an addition of weight to the former, Two more there are which are ſeveral from, and yet being of continual uſe, are interweaved and mixt with every of theſe, and having their diſtinct energie proper to themſelves, when they are in conjunction with the former, or added to them, they muſt needs accumulate and ſuperadde a conſiderable weight unto them.
The uſe of Liturgie.§. 24. The firſt is the uſe of Liturgie, the ſecond the word of exhortation among the Jewes, and in the Apoſtles times, and proportionable to that the ſermons or homilies of the Church.
The uſe of Liturgie.§. 25. The Liturgie as it contains the whole daily office, conſiſting of Confeſſion, prayers, Pſalms, hymnes, reading of the ſcripture of both Teſtaments, Creeds, ſupplications, interceſſions, thanksgivings, injunctions of Geſtures and of Ceremonies, and of Holy-daies, is both the exerciſe of many parts of Piety, and the conſervatory of the Foundation, on which all Piety together is regularly built, and a means of hightning devotion and infuſing zeal into it; And the diligent, worthy, continual (in ſtead of the negligent, formal, rarer) uſe of it, and the unanimous accord of whole ſocieties and multitudes herein, would certainly be very efficacious advancers of all Chriſtian virtue, of piety, of charity, of purity, over the world, of the two former directly, and of the later by way of diverſion, the frequent performance of ſuch offices, obſtructing and ſealing up the fountains of impurity, and intercepting that leiſure, which is neceſſary to the entertaining the beginnings of it.
§. 26. So for Preaching or exhorting the people by way of Homilie, Of Preaching.it appears to have been received from the Jewiſh by the Chriſtian Church, and by the phraſe, by which it is expreſſed in the Acts [a word of exhortation to the people] it appears to have been generally imployed in reprehenſion of vices and exhortation to virtuous living, And if we ſurvey the Homilies of the Antient Church (ſuch are thoſe of S. Chryſoſtome moſt eminently) we ſhall diſcern that as upon Feſtival daies the ſubject of the Homilie was conſtantly the buſineſs of the Day, the clearing the myſterie, the incarnation of Chriſt &c. and the recommending the actions or ſufferings of the Saint, and raiſing mens hearts to acknowledge the goodneſs of God in ſetting up ſuch exemplary patterns and guides before us, So upon other daies, after ſome ſhort literal explication of ſome place of ſcripture, the cuſtome was, not to raiſe doctrinal points, according to every preachers judgment or phanſie, but preſently to fall off to exhortation to temperance, continence, patience, and the like Chriſtian virtues, which either the propriety of the Text, or the wants and ſins of the auditory, or the times ſuggeſted to them. And this ſo farre from being a fault in their method of preaching, that it was an eminent exemplary piece of Chriſtian prudence, obſervable and imitable in them, as a means of keeping falſe or unneceſſary definitions out of the Church, which tend to the increaſe of diſputes and contentions, and whilſt they they doe ſo, are not to the edification and benefit, but to the deſtruction and miſchief of the hearers.
§. 27. Of this uſage of the Church it is moſt viſible, if it be but by the ill uſes which are made of it many times in ſtirring up ſeditions, rebellions, murthers, hatreds, animoſities, calumnies, revilings of ſuperiors, &c. in diſſeminating of hereſies, infuſing of prejudices &c. what advantage may be had toward the advancement of all parts of Chriſtian life by a due performance of it, 'Tis very much in the power of a popular Orator to repreſent vices in ſo formidable, yet juſt appearances, and to ſet out each virtue in ſo amiable a form, and to apply this ſo particularly to thoſe that are concerned to be thus wrought on, that the Covetous perſon ſhall flie from, and ſcatter (moſt liberally) his beloved Idol, wealth, the rageful perſon ſhall finde a calm, the luſtful a coldneſs inſenſibly infuſed upon his breaſt, and the auditor's phanſie and ſenſitive affections being called in to joyn with his reaſon and the Spirit of God, it will by the bleſſing of that Spirit be in the power of meditation, to radicate theſe ſeeds, to fix this tranſient gleam of light and warmth, to confirm inclinations and reſolutions of Good (received in at the ear) and give them a durable conſiſtence in the ſoul.
Viſitation of the Sick.§. 28. Next to this is the ſpiritual perſons being called for (and obeying the ſummons) to viſit the ſick, Jam. 5.14. to aſſiſt him in the great work of diſcuſſing and examining his conſcience, of making his ſearch as particular as it can, whether it be any ſin either unreformed, or unſufficiently mortified, which may have laid him under God's preſent diſpleaſure, and brought that diſeaſe, as a piece of diſcipline, upon him. In this condition the rod of God hath a voice to be heard, and he whoſe office it is in publick to explain the oracles of God for the uſe of the Church, and to apply them to each mans wants, is now to preach on this new text, and expound to the ſick man (as farre as by the cloſeſt inſpection he can judge) the particular meaning of the voice, the interpretation of God's meſſage to him, And if he be not able, like Daniel to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream, or Belſhazzar's hand-writing on the wall, which was the work of a Prophet extraordinarily inſpired, yet he may, without the ſpirit of divination, diſcern that affinity and dependence betwixt the man's unreformed ſins, and God's hand of puniſhment, which may be ſufficient ground of ſuperſtructing Daniel's exhortation of breaking off his ſinnes by repentance, and ſhewing mercy to the poor, by humiliation, ſincere reſolution and vow of new life, and by meet fruits of ſuch reformation, the higheſt works of charity and piety, that the patient is capable of. And beſides that this method may receive ſo much force (and probably prove ſucceſsful) by aſſiſtance of thoſe impreſſions, that the deſire of recovering the former health may have upon the patient (when he conſiders the pardon of ſinnes, which ordinarily introduced Chriſt's corporal cures, and prudently judgeth how improbable it is, that God, which for any ſin committed hath inflicted this diſeaſe, ſhould remove it before reformation, or if he doth, muſt doe it as an act of higher wrath and puniſhment) Beſides this, I ſay, the time of ſickneſs, or any other affliction, is like the cool of the day to Adam, a ſeaſon of peculiar propriety for the voice of God to be heard in the mouth of his meſſengers, and ſo may, by the aſſiſtance of united prayers for God's bleſſing on his own inſtruments, be improved into a very advantageous opportunity of begetting or increaſing ſpiritual life in the ſoul, and cannot without great guilt of unkindneſs and treachery to that moſt pretious part be neglected or omitted by us.
Spiritual Conference.§. 29. And the analogie holds, though not in the ſame degree, yet in the proportion, to every other ſeaſon or perſon, who is under the power of any unreformed ſin, or is doubtful of the ſincerity of the kinde, or ſufficience of the degree of his change, and is not ſo fit or competent a judge of his own eſtate (if upon no other ſcore but becauſe his own) as any other fellow Chriſtian of no deeper judgment then himſelf, or as the ſpiritual perſon, whoſe office it is to watch for his ſoul, and is probably furniſhed with more skill, fidelity & zeal toward the doing of it, may be deemed to be. And in this caſe the uſe of ſpiritual conference (which is at all times very profitable, yea and pleaſant to every diligent humble Chriſtian) is unimaginable and unſpeakable, eſpecially if it be free and unreſtrained, having all the advantages of the divineſt friendſhip, and withall all the contentments and ſatisfactions of it (which are exceedingly great, and agreeable to rational ingenuous natures) and bearing an image and lively reſemblance of that converſation which is among Angels and beatified Saints, a communication and conjunction of ſouls, deſigned to our higheſt intereſts and concernments, the countermining and eradicating of ſin, mortifying this or that paſſion, rage, or other ſenſual deſire, and contending for the higheſt exaltation and improvement of our natures, all growth in grace, and the practical knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
§. 30. Many inhaunſments of this ſpiritual uſeful, though more private exerciſe, might be farther noted, and rules for the more advantageous practiſe of it, eſpecially that there were ſome eminent perſons, of known abilities, experience, judgment, gravity, fidelity, zeal to all Chriſtian virtue and the good of ſouls ſet apart to this one office of ſpiritual conference, in every Province, and all men rationally convinced of the great benefits that might be reaped by a frequent reſort to them in all poſſible times of need, and of the no kinde of detriment or diſadvantage, that they can ſuffer by it.
The power of the Keyes.§. 31. But beyond all theſe there is another very efficacious method ſtill behinde, of which the Apoſtle ſaith, that it was not carnal or weak ▪ but mighty to God, or very powerful, for the bringing down of ſtrong holds, for the ſubduing of the moſt obſtinate, contumacious ſinner, and bringing him into the obedience of the faith of Chriſt, and that is the power and exerciſe of the Keyes committed to the Apoſtles & their ſucceſſors by Chriſt, the weapons of their warfare, as Saint Paul calls them, the means of diſcharging their office to the good of ſouls.
§. 32. For when any baptized, inſtructed, confirmed, communicated Chriſtian, which hath participated of the Liturgie and Sermons of the Church, ſhall in deſpight of all theſe obligations (very competent and ſufficient to have reſtrain'd him) break out into any known wilfull ſcandalous ſin, this courſe is then ready at hand, to be ſent as an officer to arreſt and reduce him, Firſt the admonitions, fraternal or paternal, of his fellow Chriſtians, or of the Governors of the Church, then more publike reprehenſions and increpations, and upon the unſucceſsfulneſs of all theſe milder medicaments, the uſe of that ſtronger Phyſick, the Cenſures of the Church, either foreign for a determinate, ſhorter ſpace, or elſe indefinitely, uſ que ad reformationem, untill he reform and return, and then when he doth ſo, the admitting him to penance, to approve the ſincerity of his change by meet fruits of repentance, and then, and not till then, allowing him the benefit, of abſolution.
§. 33. The efficacy and uſefulneſs of this laſt method hath elſwhere been ſhewn at large (in a Tract on that ſubject) eſpecially upon the ſcore of ſhame, when he that will live the life of a heathen, go on unreformed in any open ſin, ſhall not be allowed the honour of a Chriſtian name, of an ordinary good reputation among men, but be baniſhed and interdicted the enjoyment of thoſe ſacred privileges, which the meaneſt of Chriſt's flock is allowed by him. What theſe loſſes are, is ſufficiently known, and ſet off by the Apoſtles ſtyle, expreſſing them by foreign and foreign, deſtruction and exciſion, and the like; As for that other of ſhame, the efficacy that belongs to it, may be diſcerned by that antient Apophthegm of *Stobaeus, ſer: 41. p. 268.Cleobulus, the fift of the ſages of Greece, foreign, that that people are compoſed to the greateſt ſobriety, among whom the citizens ſtand in more fear of diſpraiſe, then of law; ſuppoſing that ſtate to be beſt qualified, where virtue, and every part of good living, which laws are wont to preſcribe, hath acquired ſo great a credit, and reputation among all, that without fear of puniſhment from laws, or Magiſtrates, the very dread of ſhame and diſgrace ſhall be able to contain all men within the bounds of exact living, and awe them from admitting any thing which is foul, or ſinful. To which purpoſe alſo is that of †li. de Republ:Hippodamus the Pythagorean, that there be three cauſes of virtue (foreign) and ſhame is the laſt of them, of which, ſaith he, (foreign, &c.) good cuſtomes are able to infuſe a dread into all men, that are foreign well cultivated, and make them foreign, to have a reverence, or pudicitious, chaſte fear of doing any thing which is ill. And according to this prudential notion of theſe wiſe men of the world, is this piece of Chriſtian diſcipline inſtituted by our Saviour, to deprive vice of its greateſt temptation, the praiſe of men, to exalt and ſet up virtue the onelyonly creditable thing, and brand ſin as infamous, And if this of ſhame ſuperadded to the former of loſſe (and both being met together, as the ſinners portion here, perfectly prefiguring the two ſaddeſt ingredients in hell, deprivation of the bliſsful viſion, and confuſion of face) cannot prove efficacious and ſucceſsful to the mortifying of unprofitable vice, the Church doth then give over the patient as deſperate; pretends not to any farther methods of working on ſuch obdurate ſinners.
This the laſt Eccleſiaſtical means.§. 34. Nor indeed is it reaſonable it ſhould, when beſide the Foundation (conſiſting of ſo many ſtones, each of them elect and pretious, choſen by the wiſdome of heaven for this admirable work of reforming the moſt obdurate Jew or heathen) this ſeries and ſucceſſion of ſo many powerful methods being farther preſcribed by God and adminiſtred by the Church, have found ſo diſcouraging a reception, that nothing but the violence of ſtorming or battery (the courſe which God is forced to take for the deſtroying, but cannot without changing the courſe of nature, for the converting of ſinners) can hope or pretend to prove ſucceſsful on them.
The neceſſity of Governors in the Church.§. 35. What hath been ſaid of the wiſe diſpoſition of God in preparing & inſtituting this ſeries of neceſſaries for the effecting this great work, the reformation of mens lives (the latter annext to the former, each to adde weight and authority, and to vindicate the contempts of the former) might more largely be inſiſted on yet, on a farther deſigne, to give us a juſt value of that ſacred office, which Chriſt fixed in the Church in his Apoſtles and the Biſhops their ſucceſſors, and honoured it and them in this eſpecially, that he hath put theſe weapons into their hands, intruſted to, and inveſted in them the Power of diſpenſing all theſe, and by that means rendred them neceſſary to the planting and ſupporting a Church of vital Chriſtians, to the maintaining of pious practiſe in any community of Profeſſors. But this would ſoon ſwell this diſcourſe beyond the limits deſigned to it.
§. 36.The Concluſion. All that is behinde will be by way of Comment on that part of the Church of England's charity, which hath conſtantly called to God, that he will inſpire continually the Ʋniverſal Church with the Spirit of truth, unity, and concord, and grant that all they that doe confeſſe his holy name may agree in the truth of his holy word, and live in unity and godly love.