God has therefore lodged a power in the pastors of His church to repel all such; and it is a mercy even to them to be hindered from increasing their guilt and their damnation.

Nor can any prince, governor, or human law, hinder a Christian bishop from exercising this power; because he is under an obligation to the King of kings, and Lord of lords, to do his duty in this respect.

Nor must it be pretended, that the punishment which Christian magistrates inflict may supersede this discipline.

Those punishments only affect the body, and keep the outward man in order. These are designed to purify the soul, and to save that from destruction.

Excommunication, as St. Paul tell us, is "for the destruction of the flesh, that the soul may be saved;" that is, to mortify the corruptions of nature, lust, pride, intemperance, &c.; this being the only way to save the soul of the sinner, and to bring him to reason; that is, to repentance.

For upon a sinner's repentance, (unless where he has incurred this sentence more than once,) the church is ready to receive him into her bosom with open arms.

But then by repentance must be understood, not a bare change of mind, not an acknowledgment of the sin and scandal, not a serious behaviour for a few days, all which may soon wear off; but a course of public penance, a long trial of sincerity, such as may satisfy a man's self, and all sober Christians, that the

sinner is a true penitent, that he has forsaken all his evil ways, evil company, evil habits, that he is grown habitually serious, devout, and religious, and that by fasting and prayer he has in some good measure got the mastery of his corrupt nature, and has begun a repentance not to be repented of.

For want of this care and method, many Christians are ruined eternally. They sin, and repent, and sin again, and think all is safe, because they have repented, as they think, and are pardoned.

There are people who are in the same sad case with those that stand excommunicated, though no sentence has passed upon them; namely, such as live in a contempt of the public worship of God. They cannot properly be turned out of the church, who never come into it; but they keep themselves out of the ark, and consequently must perish.

Excommunication, in the primitive times, was pronounced in the congregation to which the offender belonged. After which, they gave notice to all other churches; namely, Let no temple of God be open to him; let none converse with him; &c.

"And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child that is born unto thee shall surely die."-2 Sam. xii. 13, 14. The Divine Justice punisheth every sin, either in this world or in the next.

A sinner's willingness to undergo any punishment

which shall be appointed by the minister of God, in order to make proof of and to establish his repentance, is a sure sign that God has not withdrawn His grace, notwithstanding his sin.

"Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." -Hebrews xiii. 4.

You dare not say that this is not true.

What can

y? Nothing

you say to your own mind to make it easy but this can make you easy; to take shame to yourself, to confess your sin, to fast, and to pray earnestly to God for pardon, &c., and to let others know "what an evil thing and bitter it is to forsake the Lord."

This visitation will either do you much good or much hurt; you will from this time grow much better or much worse.

Since you did not blush to sin, do not blush to own your faults.

Let it be matter of joy and thankfulness to you, that we are concerned for you so much.

Grace, indeed, we cannot give; that is the gift of God. We can only pray for you, and do our duty in admonishing you, &c.

If you submit for fear only, and not for conscience' sake, you will suffer both here and hereafter.

When men, and especially men in any authority, are not content to neglect their own salvation, but are industrious to ruin others, they may depend upon it, they are very near filling up the measure of their iniquities, and consequently their destruction is not far off.

Our charity to offenders ought to be like that of

God, not in flattering them by à cruel indulgence, but in putting them, by a merciful severity, in the way of obtaining pardon.

In the primitive church, great offenders were not restored to communion till they had, by their behaviour, given all possible demonstrations of the sincerity of their repentance not to be repented of; and this by a long trial of mortification, &c., for a short repentance too seldom ends in amendment of life; and he who fancies that his mind may effectually be changed in a short time, will deceive himself and the church, unless he shows this change by fasting, alms-deed, retirement, &c., and that for a considerable time.

Will any man say that he loves Christ, and His church, when he opposes the authority of her pastors; when he opposes her discipline; or when he weakens her unity?

When we consider, that God is absolute Master of men's hearts, we should not think any man capable of salvation.

My God! let me always fear for myself, when I am labouring to promote the salvation of others.

Remissness in church discipline is owing, sometimes to indulgence and an easy temper, not caring to trouble others, or to be troubled; sometimes by being satisfied to go on in the track trodden by their predecessors, not considering what duty obliges them to, but what was done before; others, out of downright neglect, not caring how things go, give opportunity to the enemy to sow tares while they are thus asleep. Thus corruption gets head, and is like to do

so, until God awakens the governors both in church and state, and makes them see that they are answerable for all the sins occasioned by their negligence; and that they have more souls besides their own to account for; which is one day to fall heavy upon them. Lord, awaken all that are in power; and me, Thy unworthy servant; that we may all discharge our duty more faithfully.

There may be people bold enough to make a mock of sin, to submit to public penance with contempt of the authority that enjoins it, and not to be bettered by such Christian methods for the restoring sinners to the peace of God; but it is to be hoped all are not so hardened; and that church discipline is, notwithstanding, a mighty check upon sin, and keeps many under a fear of committing such crimes as must oblige them to take shame to themselves before the face of men.

That perfect penance which Christ requireth, consists of contrition, confession, and amendment of former life, and an obedient reconciliation to the laws and will of God.*

ABSOLUTION.

Our church ascribeth not the power of remission of sin to any but to God only. She holds, that faith and repentance are the necessary conditions of receiving this blessing. And she asserts, what is most true, that Christ's ministers have a special commis

* Convocatio, 1536. See also the Homilies.