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charge to rule, as elders; some are particu- it may consist with, yet doth not wholly conlarly for attendance on the sick. sist in, civilities of expression and behaviour, But in all, fidelity and sedulity are requi- but a real benevolence of soul, and good will site: how high soever men are placed, if to all; a love, disposing readily to forgive they are unfaithful, the higher judgment evil, and do good upon all occasions. awaits them; how low soever, if thou be Yet this is not such a tenderness of comsincere and studious of thy duty, thou shalt placency, as to partake with any in any evil sustain no loss by thy low station, but rather ways; Oh! no; abhorring that which is thy faithfulness will be the more set off by evil, flying from it with indignation, with a it; he that is faithful in little shall be made kind of antipathy. And thus it will be from ruler over much. Oh! that we were more the new nature in a Christian, the holy spirit eat up with zeal of our Lord's House, and of Christ, which cannot endure the unholiwinning of souls, when he deputes to that. ness or impurity of the world, but is chased Oh! that they that rule, would study more away, as doves with noisome smells, or bees rule of their own houses, that shall go before, with smoke; this delicacy of spirit profane and your own hearts, that should be first of men laugh at, as a weak, foolish meanness; all. Alas! how shall men, whose passions but, fools as they are, they know not that it and lusts rule them, well rule the house of arises from that highest wisdom which is God? Be afraid and wise, ye that are called from above, which indeed is peaceable, but to that, and know at length what is so gener- first is pure, and can admit of no peace nor ally either unknown or unconsidered, the ex-agreement with any persons or things that emplary holiness required in your persons, are impure; this is to be like the all-wise and the diligent watchfulness over the flock of God, with whom wickedness cannot dwell; God. There are many debates, and troubles, his pure eyes cannot pleasantly behold any and pains, about these our liberties, but little iniquity. diligence in the use of them; congregations Oh! much of the love of God would work are still as full of impiety and profaneness as more hatred of sin; but if thy hatred of evil ever. Oh! take heed, lest we thus forfeit be right, know, it will begin at home, as we them after all they have cost, and provoke feel aversions and abhorrences most when the God to bereave us of them. Men are busy things are nearest us. It is not the upright that we know are not friends to the Church nature of holiness to hate sin in others, and of God; but oh! that we were more careful to be in good terms with him: If he be for us, who can be against us? It is no matter who be, he is too wise and too strong for

them all.

VER. 9. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good. THE whole sum of the law is love; love to God, and love to man, these two contain all, and the former of the two contains the latter: love to God is the only true principle and spring of all due love to man; and all love that begins there, returns thither likewise, and ends there.

to hug it, or spare it in thyself, either the same kind of sin, or any other; for if this abhorrence be right, it is against all sin, the whole, as natural contrarieties are, and it is most against it, when nearest in thyself; it is the true divine fire of zeal, kindled by the love of God, that burns up sin, but first that which is nearest it, as a fire in the hearth does, and so reaches what is further off. But if thy zeal fly most abroad upon others, it is an unruly, disordered wild-fire, cracking and squibbing up and down, good for nothing but to set houses and towns on fire.

Cleave to that which is good.] This expresses a vehement and inseparable affection; The engaging the whole mind and soul loving and rejoicing in all the good thou to the love of God, does not engross it so, seest in others; desiring and seeking after that there should be no kind of love com- all the good thou canst attain unto thyself; municable to man; on the contrary, it is to and more pleased with the society of godly refine it, that it may flow forth the purer and persons than any other; such as will put better. All love should be once called in to thee and keep thee most in mind of thy home, God, to be sublimated and purified there, and the way thither, and admonish and reduce and then set in its right channel and motion, thee from any declining steps; their reproofs so as man be loved in him and for him; not are more sweet to thee, and the laughter and to impair our love to him, but indeed to ex-flattery of profane men, as one said to his tend and act it as he allows; and so to love master, "Thou shalt find no staff hard man is to love God, that love taking its rise enough to beat me from thee." Though from him, and terminating in him; and in they seem harsh to thee, yet wilt thou say, this circle is the proper motion of celestial Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a divine love. kindness, Psal. cxli. 5; and no opposition The duty, then, here meant and command- will drive thee from the truth of God, and ed, is this, that we love one another; and his ways, which are only good, if thy heart our love must be thus qualified, it must be be once glued by love and fastened to them; unhypocritical and sincere; such as, though * Ουκ τὰ ξυλον εὑρήσεις, &ς,

yea, thou wilt cleave the closer to it, the more mility and charity will seek out for, and espy thou art persecuted for the truth; and the that, and for it put all respect upon them, more thou sufferest for it, wilt love it the that their quality and station is able to bear; better: the word that is used in marriage, and in this, one should prevent another, and of the husband cleaving to the wife, holds strive who shall do most in this kind, as a true in the soul once married to that which good and happy contention. is good; all violence will be too weak to And the source of this is love to God, that sever thee. Learn to know what this is that so mortifies the heart to all outward advanis truly good, to know the excellency and tages, that, further than a man is tied by sweetness of holiness, and it will be impos-place and calling, he would not receive, sible to part thy affection from it; but this much less desire, any kind of respect from is the reason why men are so soon shaken, any, but had rather be slighted and disreand the slender hold they have removed, the garded. What cares a soul, enamoured with superfices of the soul only is tied to the out- the glory to come, for the vain passing air of side of religion, by some external relations preference and honour here? That it can and engagements, and those are a running easily bate to any, and, so far as a man has knot, that easily slips. Few receive the any power of it, would put it upon others, truth in the love of it, and have their hearts far rather than own it himself; such an one united to Jesus Christ, who is indeed all that can sweetly please himself in being the good we have to seek after, and to cleave to. meanest in all companies where he comes, and passing for such; and he is glad of respect VER. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another with done to others, still looking homeward, where brotherly love; in honour preferring one another. there is no prejudging one another at all, Now, in this way of holy spiritual affec-but perfect unenvying, and unenvied glory. tion, seeking the true good one of another, Glory here is to be shunned rather than pur be kind in brotherly love, not upon design sued: and, if it will follow, yet it is less te or particular interest, but by a natural pro-be regarded than thy shadow. Oh! how pension; such as in creatures to their young; light and vanishing is it, and even things such a tenderness as is amongst men of near-more solid than it; the fashion of this est relations, parents, and children, and bre-world passeth away, 1 Cor. vii. 31. thren; and know that you are indeed brethren of the highest birth and parentage; and so, beyond all brethren, Christians are obliged to love one another: alas! that in them, Not slothful in business.] These conlikewise, it should prove so unhappily true, densed rules have much in them; and this that the love of brethren is rare; that they is very needful, for often a listless indisposed should be so hardly drawn to acts of love, weariness overtakes even good men; seeing and so easily stirred to fits of anger and bit- so little to be done to any purpose, they are terness, one towards another. My beloved, almost ready to give over all; yet they ought are we Christians? Oh! where is the spirit to bestir themselves, and apply to diligence of Christ? Where that great law of his, in their place, not unduly stickling and busy that badge of his followers, Love one an- in things improper, but inclosing thy diliother! that by which the Christians of the gence within thy sphere. Suffer it not to first times astonished the Pagans about them? stand, but keep it there in motion; as to Yea, their very enemies and persecutors were thy worldly affairs, be so diligent as to give amazed at it. It were well, and would be them good dispatch, when thou art about one considerable gain by our enemies, if their them, but have thy heart as little in them, combinations and malice against the godly as much disengaged, as may be: yet so acmight drive them close together, and unite quitting them wisely, they shall trouble thee them more to one another in love. the less, when thou art in higher and better

VER. 11. Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.

In honour preferring one another.] employments. As to thyself, be often exPutting all possible respect on one another; amining thy heart and ways, striving conthis is not in ceremony or compliment, stantly against sin; though little sensible though these civilities, that are due, and advantage be gained, yet if thou yield, it done without feignedness or affection, are not will be worse. If it prevail so much amidst disallowed, yea, are, I conceive, included; all thy opposition, what would it do if thou but in matter of real esteem, each preferring shouldst sit still! Use all holy means, how one another: for though a man may see the fruitless soever they seem for the present, weakness of those he converses with, yet and wait on God. We have toiled all passing, and what he can, covering these, he night, said Simon, and taken nothing, ought to take notice of what is good. All Luke v. 5, and yet at his command, essay.. have something commendable, and none hath ing again, they took more at once, than all; so the meanest may in something be if, after their ordinary way, they had been preferable to the highest; and Christian hu- taking all night. So as to others, give not lup because thou seest no present success,

Fratrum quoque gratia rara est.

but, in thy place, admonish, exhort, and VER. 12. Rejoicing in hope.] Oh! this rebuke, with all meekness and patience. we seldom do. When are our hearts as Doth God wait on sinners, and wilt not thou transported with the blessed hope of our wait a little for others? inheritance? This would make us what follows.

Patient in tribulation.] People would

Fervent in spirit.] Beware of a fretful impatience; that is a fretful distempered heat, as that of a fever, that makes a man hear much of this, of preparing for sufferunfit for work; and men commonly in this ing; there may be a distemper in desiring break away from their business: but much to hear and speak so much of that. What healthful natural heat makes a man strong, though trials be coming, as it is likely they and able to endure labour, and continue in are, we should account too much of ourit. This is the thing here recommended. selves, and this present world, to dwell exTo be so hot and fervent in spirit is a great pressly on that subject. We see the Apostles advantage it is the very strength of the do not so, though they lived and wrote in soul in all employments: much love to God, times of other sort of persecution than we and desire of his glory; this is the heat that have yet seen; and they, to whom the will not weary, will cheerfully go through Apostle here writes, lived where it was most all discouragements; many waters will not violent and potent, and yet they spend not quench it. This fervour of spirit, wrought all on this; some brief words of it, inter by the Spirit of God, doth clearly difference spersed with the discourse, thrown as it were itself from that inordinate heat of our spirits, into a parenthesis: but still the main is, the which may sometimes either act alone, or doctrine of faith and rules of holiness; and mingle itself with the other in the best causes and affairs. That holy fervour is composed and regular in working, runs not headily to unadvised or disorderly ways; it is a sweet delightful heat, not painful and vexing as the other; it carries on to duty, and is not disturbed about events.

these are indeed the great furniture for all sufferings; I know no other. To see much the excellency and worth of Jesus Christ, the riches of our hope in him, to have these in our view, much in our hearts and in our mouths; these drown all the little fears of present things. See how, in passing, our Apostle speaks, as it were in a slighting way, of all sufferings for him: I have cast it up, says he; and I reckon that the sufferings of this present time (of this now) are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Serving the Lord.] Some copies have it, serving the time; which though it may bear a fair construction, of taking present occasions of good, and being useful in our generation, and accommodating ourselves in all lawful things to times and persons, for their good, as our Apostle became all things to all, to win some: yet this kind of expres-liness: these powerfully enable for suffering sion not being found elsewhere in Scripture, and the most copies having it as we read it, and some mistake of letters in transcribers seeming to have occasioned it, it is much rather to be taken as in our version.

Again, the other thing is the rules of ho

any thing, rather than unholiness; the sickness of the soul, these corrupt humours of sin, make it crazy, so that it can endure no blasts of air; but when it is purged and free from these, and in communion with God in But, out of all question, some do follow his ways, then it is healthful and strong; that mistaken reading in its worst sense; and so is able to endure any thing. The morinstead of serving the Lord, serving the tifying of our affections to the world, that is times and this some, even in evil ways; it that enables for suffering. Whither others, in ways that are good; yet following reaches the cruelty of man, but to thy goods, upon trust, and complying, though unwill- or body? and what makes any faint, but an ingly, because the times carry things so; over-esteem of these, by which they are fillbut where times change to the worse, these ed with desires to preserve, and fears to lose men are discovered; for still they serve their them? Now, when the heart is disengaged master, the times, and their own advantage from these, and hath taken up in God, is in them; which way soever that goes, they rich and content in him, it stands not so follow; so that their following the better much to the courtesy of any; let them take side, in better times, is but accidental. the rest; it suffers with joy the spoiling of But this serving the Lord is more even goods, having in Heaven a more enduring and lasting; serving him still in all times, substance, Heb. x. 34. And for the utdoing all for him, having no aim but his most, killing them, they look on it as the glory; such a heart cannot be diverted from highest favour; it is to them but the makits course, by any counter-blast of times. ing a hole for them in their prison-wall to Would you be stedfast in times of ap-get out at. Therefore, I say, there is noproaching trial, seek hearts acquainted with God, and fixed on him; for others will be shaken; but such will follow him through all hazards, and fear no ill while he is with them.

thing doth so fit for all encounters, as to be much instructed in that which is the substance of Christianity, hearts purified, and lives holily and spiritually regulated. In a

word, much study of Christ, and much study less than the strength of God to support it: of thyself, for aught I know, are the wisest and what then can surcharge it? and strongest preparatives for all possible Thy access to him all the enemies in the sufferings. world cannot hinder; the closest prison shuts How sweetly can the soul retire into him, not out thy God: yea, rather, it shuts out and repose in him, in the greatest storms! other things and companies, that thou mayst I know nothing that can much dismay him have the more leisure for him, and the that can believe and pray. That you see is sweeter converse with him. Oh! acquaint added. yourselves with this exercise of prayer, and Continuing instant in prayer.] If by it with God, that if days of trouble come, afraid of fainting, yea, if at the point of you may know whither to go, and what way; fainting, this revives the soul, draws in no and if you know this way, whatever befals • Nempe tenens quod amo, nihil, illum amplexus, you, you are not much to be bemoaned.

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CHARGES, &c

TO THE CLERGY OF THE DIOCESAN SYNOD OF DUNBLANE, BY BISHOP LEIGHTON.

I. Bishop Leighton's Charge to his stored to more frequent use; likewise the Clergy, September 1662.

FOR DISCIPLINE.

doxology and the creed.

Thirdly. That daily public prayer, in churches, morning and evening, with reading of the Scriptures, be used where it can FIRST. That all diligence be used for the be had conveniently, and the people be ex repressing of profaneness, and for the advance- horted to frequent them; not so as to think ment of solid piety and holiness. that this should excuse them from daily pri

Secondly. That not only scandals of un-vate prayer, in their families and in secret, chastity, but drunkenness, swearing, cursing, but rather as a help to enable them, and disfilthy speaking, and mocking of religion, pose them the more for both these; and let and all other gross offences, be brought under the constant use of secret prayer be recomchurch-censure. mended to all persons, as the great instruThirdly. That scandalous offenders be ment of sanctifying the soul, and of enternot absolved, till there appear in them very taining and encreasing in it the love of probable signs of true repentance. God.

Fourthly. That inquiry be made by the Fourthly. That the younger sort, and the minister, not only into the knowledge, but ignorant, be diligently catechised at fit times, the practice and track of life, of those who all the year through; and that work not are to be admitted to the holy communion; wholly laid over on some days or weeks beand all profane, and evidently impenitent fore the celebration of the communion, but persons, be secluded, till their better conver- that the inquiry, at that time, be rather of sation and obedience to the gospel be more their good conversation, and due disposition apparent.

Fifthly. That family prayer be inquired after; and they that can, be exhorted to join with it reading of the Scriptures.

FOR WORSHIP.

for partaking of that holy ordinance, as was said before in an article touching discipline.

Fifthly. That ministers use some short form of catechism, such as they may require account of, till a common form be agreed on. Sixthly. That preaching be plain, and useful for all capacities; not entangled with First. That instead of lecturing and useless questions and disputes, nor continued preaching both at one meeting, larger por- to a wearisome length. The great and most tions of the Holy Scriptures, one whole necessary principles of religion most frequentchapter at least of each Testament, and Psalms ly treated upon; and oftentime larger porwithal, be constantly read: and this not as a tions of Scripture explained, and suitable bye-work, while they are convening, but instructions and exhortations thence deduced: after the people are well convened, and the and let that be the sermon at that time: worship solemnly begun with confession of which will doubtless be as truly preaching sins and prayer, either by the minister or and useful, if not more so, than insisting, some fit person by him appointed. for a whole sermon or more, upon one short

Secondly. That the Lord's prayer be re-verse or sentence.

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