uncertainty of casual events, wherein the providence of God doth, control the purposes of men oftentimes much more for their good, than if all things did answer fully their heart's desire, but the censure of the world is ever directly against them both bitter and peremptory. Though no other plague and revenge should follow sacrilegious violations of holy things, the natural secret disgrace and ignominy, the very turpitude of such actions, in the eye of a wise understanding heart, is itself a heavy punish

ment.

37. The clergy not rewarded here, but hereafter.

If they that labour in this harvest should respect but the present fruit of their painful travel, a poor encouragement it were unto them to continue therein all the days of their life. But their reward is great in heaven; the crown of righteousness which shall be given them in that day is honourable. The fruit of their industry then shall they reap with full contentment and satisfaction, but not till then. Wherein the greatness of their reward is abundantly sufficient to countervail the tediousness of their expectation. Wherefore till then, they that are in labour must rest in hope. O Timothy, keep that which is committed unto thy charge; that great commandment which thou hast received keep till the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ.

38. Summary of their duty.

St. Paul requireth in a minister ability to teach, to convince, to distribute the word rightly; the Lord himself hath protested they shall be no priests to him which have rejected knowlege, and because if the blind lead the blind, they must both needs fall into the pit: teachers are shepherds whose flocks can be no time secure from danger; they are watchmen whom the enemy doth always besiege;

their labours in the word and sacrament admit no intermission; their duty requireth instruction and conference with men in private; they are the living oracles of God, to whom the people must resort for council; they are commanded to be patterns of holiness, leaders, feeders, supervisors amongst their

own.

39. Admonition to God's ministers.

I see not what more effectual obligation or bond of duty there should be urged, than their own only vow and promise made unto God himself at the time of their ordination. The work which they have undertaken requireth both care and fear. Their sloth, that negligently perform it, maketh them subject to malediction. Besides, we also know that the fruit of our pains in this function is life both to ourselves and others. And do we yet need incitements to labour? Shall we stop our ears both against those conjuring exhortations which Apostles, and against the fearful comminations which prophets have uttered out of the mouth of God, the one for prevention, the other for reformation of our sluggishness in this behalf? Saint Paul," Attend to yourselves, and to all the flock, whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood." Again, "I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, which shall judge the quick and the dead at his coming, preach the word; be instant." Jeremiah, "Woe unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture; I will visit you for the wickedness of your works, saith the Lord; the remnant of my sheep I will gather together out of all countries, and will bring them again to their folds; they shall grow and increase, and I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them." Ezekiel, "Should not

the shepherds, should they not feed their flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe yourselves with the wool, but the weak ye have not strengthened, the sick ye have not cured, neither have ye bound up the broken, nor brought home again that which was driven away; ye have not enquired after that which was lost, but with cruelty and rigour have ruled." And, verses 8-10, “Wherefore as I live, I will require my sheep at their hands, nor shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my sheep from their mouths, they shall no more devour them.”

If there be any feeling of Christ, any drop of heavenly dew, or any spark of God's good spirit within you, stir it up, be careful to build and edify, first yourselves, and then your flocks, in the most Holy Faith. I say, first yourselves; for he which will set the hearts of other men on fire with the love of Christ, must himself burn with love. It is want of faith in ourselves, my brethren, which makes us wretchless in building others.

40. Lukewarmness of the Church.

Upon the Church there never yet fell tempestuous storm, the vapours whereof were not first noted to rise from coldness in affection, and from backwardness in duties of service towards God.

41. The prosperity of the Church advanced by each member of it performing zealously his appropriate duties.

If the guide of a congregation, be his name or his degree whatsoever, be diligent in his vocation, feeding the flock of God which dependeth upon him, caring for it, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; not as though he would tyrannize over God's heritage,

but as a pattern unto the flock, wisely guiding them if the people in their degree do yield themselves framable to the truth, not like rough stone or flint, refusing to be smoothed and squared for the building if the magistrate do carefully and diligently survey the whole order of the work, providing by statutes and laws, and bodily punishments, if need require, that all things might be done according to the rule which cannot deceive; even as Moses provided, that all things might be done according to the pattern which he saw in the Mount; there the words of this exhortation are truly and effectually heard. Of such a congregation every man will say, Behold a people that are wise, a people that walk in the statutes and ordinances of their God, a people full of knowledge and understanding, a people that have skill in building themselves. Where it is otherwise, there, as by slothfulness the roof doth decay; and as by idleness of hands the house droppeth through so first one piece, and then another of their building shall fall, till there shall not be a stone left upon a stone.

1 Eccles. x. 18.

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CHAPTER V.

THE LITURGY, RITES, AND CEREMONIEs of the CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

1. Of Public Prayer.

THIS holy and religious duty of service towards God concerneth us one way in that we are men, and another way in that we are joined as parts to that visible mystical body, which is his Church. As men, we are at our own choice both for time and place, and form, according to the exigence of our own occasions in private; but the service, which we do, as members of a public body, is public, and for that cause must needs be accounted by so much worthier than the other, as a whole society of such condition exceedeth the worth of any one. In which consideration unto Christian assemblies there are most special promises made. St. Paul, though likely to prevail with God as much as any one, did notwithstanding think it much more, both for God's glory and his own good, if prayers might be made and thanks yielded in his behalf by a number of The prince and people of Nineveh assembling themselves as a main army of supplicants, it was not in the power of God to withstand them. I speak no otherwise concerning the force of public prayer in the Church of God than before me Tertullian hath done, We come by troops to the place of assembly, that being bonded as it were together, we may be supplicants enough to besiege God with

men.