Jude bids us fave fuch with fear, pulling them out of the fire,ver.23. And there is no reason, why it fhould not be efteemed as damnable a Sin to doubt of, or deny what God hath revealed for Truth, as to neglect what he hath commanded as good and holy: Although we never fee any of thefe Errors, but they make thofe who believe them, either very loose and prophane, or elfe very proud and cenforious, and when a proud heart or a wicked life is added to an evil opinion, it is much to be feared it's doom will be very fad : And whereas fome under pretence of a large and univerfal Charity would have us believe, every man may be fafed in his own way, I must profess I take fuch men to be either Atheistical doubters of the reality of all Religion, or not very well perfwaded of the Truth of their own: They are different from the antient Chriftians, who prayed heartily and laboured earneftly for the reducing of all that were in Error, and they are no true Sons of this Church, who not only prays for all that are deceived, but declares, that they also are to be accurfed, that presume to Say, that every one shall be faved by the Law or Sect,which be profeffes, fo that he be diligent to frame his life according to that Law and the Light of nature, &c. Article XVIII.No doubt therefore many of thefe erring Souls are in great danger of lofing the way to everlafting life, and upon all these accounts we have great reafon to pray they may be convinced and converted on Earth, and finally glorified with us in the Kingdom of Heaven. It would be happy for them, although they do not apprehend it, it would enlarge the true Church, and do honour to Chriftianity in the highest Degree, if we did all believe that one Truth, and walk in that right way, which God hath fhewed to us, let us then conclude this requeft alfo with a moft compaflionate Devotion, faying We beseech thee,&c.

5.XVI. Dat it may please thee to strengthen luch as do stand,to comfort and help the weakhearted, to raise up them that fall, and finally to beat down Sathan under our feet:] We beseech thee,

&c.

2.

1

(c) Στρατεία τις isivi Bio irásny тnμznçà xían Epili.l.3.c 24. Vivere militare eft. Senec.

Adhuc in feculo fumus, adhuc in acie, conftituti, Cypr.l.1.

Although thofe within the Church are in a much better Eftate than those who remain without, yet they are not fo happy, nor fo fafe, but that they need our continual prayers for them, for they are not yet advanced to the Church triumphant, only they are members of the militant. And if the Heathens thought the life of every man was a Warfare (c), how much more is the Life of a Chriftian, Job vii.1.Ephef.vi.12.who is to contend not only (as others) with the miferies and infirmities of human Nature, but with fpiritual Enemies alfo, who are lefs feared but more dangerous, because they are invifible. Their Temporal Calamities and Neceffities we fhall confider in the three next Petitions; but their fpiritual, as being the greateft and of moft concernment,we do commemorate here: Every Chriftian is not only to wrestle with flesh and blood, but with Sathan whofe very name fignifies an Adverfary; and this implacable Enemy imploys all his Policy and Power against them continually, and while they live, he never gives them any rest, but it is their Duty to refift him, James iv.7. and fo they do. Nevertheless while this Spiritual Combat doth endure, we may fee poor Chriftians in various Poftures, fome ftanding out and couragiously. fighting, though not wholly conquering, others pale and trembling, dejected and ready to fly or yield, not a few

L

ep. S.

alfo

Part. I. alfo fallen either by force or fraud, and lying at the feet of their infulting Foe; whilft we like Mofes in the Mount do pray all the while for the fuccefs of Ifrael against Amalek, Exod.xvii.11, 12. defiring it may please God to give ftrength to those that hold out, comfort and help to those that faint, and with his gracious hand to lift up thofe that are fallen, Pfal.cxlvi.8. While the Purity of the primitive Discipline remained intire in the Church, the Prieft had a visible Embleme of this Petition, in the very order that the Chriftians were marfhalled before him in all religious Affemblies (d). For next unto the Prieft ftocd those called the 1 faithful, who had not fallen into any notorious Crime, and those 2 who ftood upright, having gone through all the parts of Repentance, and a little lower were 3 the Proftrate, who were fallen, but beginning to feek pardon, 4 the Weepers, who had lately offended in fome grievous Sin: To each of which degrees of Chriftians he might eafily have appropriated one of these particulars; but though we fee them not so sensibly distinguished, yet we must in our minds reprefent their several Conditions to our felves, fo as to fiir us up moft heartily to pray for them all, and for our affiftance herein, we will look upon them feverally.

(α) 1 Πίσοι 2 ouisappor 3 πίπτοντες" 4 προσxλaivres Euchol. p.22. Albafpin. 1.2. Obf. 22, 23, 24. Bevereg. Annot. in Concil. Nic.

I. Thole that stand, that is thofe who are firm to the Principles of their Faith, and conftant in the practice of an holy life, and though Sathan feeks to fubvert them and caft them down, do not at all yield unto him, but ftand (that is in the Holy Dialect (e)), relift all his

(e) Stare eft pug. nare. Efther viii. 2. Pfal.xciv.16. Dan. xii. vide Drufli obferv.1.10 c.7.

Tempta

Temptations, and maintain the fight: Suppreffing evil thoughts, keeping in all evil words, and abftaining as much as may be from all evil Deeds; these are the most eminent and holy Servants of God, who ftand to their Arms, and are his faithful Souldiers. But it may be thought, that thefe ought not to be put in among thofe, that are in need of fuccour, and that there is no neceffity, why we should pray for them: Now to this I anfwer, that if they themselves think thus, it is very fure their fall is not far of, for this Pride is the Harbin-ger of their approaching ruine, Prov.xvi. 18. yea they are fallen into the Sin of Pride already, and are not to be accounted in this bleffed rank: If it be others, that think fo concerning thefe holy Perfons, they forget that the firongeft are weak without a continual Supply of ftrength from God, fo that they had need pray earnestly,and often for themselves, and we alfo with and for them, that they may tano longer. Let him that thinketh be ftandeth, take heed left he fall, 1 Cor.x.12. Let not the Wife-man glory in his Wifdom, nor the mighty man in bis ftrength, but give thanks to him, who gave it to him, and daily pray for more. We have an enemy far ftronger than the ftrongeft of us, and one who would conftantly foil the beft of us, unless we have daily aid from above: And truly as S. Cyprian well notes (f), his greatest fpight is against thofe that ftand, for others he makes fure of them, and feldomer attempts them, but thefe he affails with all his force and policy, and the rather, because fuch men are the ornaments of Religion, and the Encou ragement of many others, fo that if he can work their fall, he will triumph exceedingly, and Religion will be fcorned by his Inftruments, and many weaker be offen

L 2

(f) Prostrates sco mel & fuos factos,

contemnit & præterit,cos quærit dejicere quos videt Stare.Cyp Ep.58.

ded.

ded. Wherefore we have all of us cause to pray,that fuch Lights may not be eclipfed, fuch confiderable and exemplary men may not be feduced, for it gives a great blow to Piety, when fuch fall into Iniquity; therefore the Good Lord ftrengthen them.

II. The weak-hearted, are those who having been often foiled, and growing weary or faint,are about to fubmit to Sathan's will, fuppofing they can never maintain the Fight: Now God himself commands us to comfort the feeble-minded and to fupport the weak, 1 Theff. v.14. and no doubt he will be ready to do that which he enjoyns to us, and which he can do much better: To him therefore we pray also for these in the very words of St. Paul, and of S. Bafil's Liturgy, which defires the(g)Lord to comfort the faint-hearted. He loves not to

(g) Tiny Luxx manLit.S. Bafil. vide 1 Theff.v.14.

σου

I

break the bruised reed,Ifai.xlii.3.but delights to fhew his ftrength upon those who are weakeft, 2 Cor.xii.9. So that although in it felf, it is a fad Condition to be thus timorous and weak, yet St. Paul thought he was ftrongest when he was weak,ver. 1 1. that is, he had most of the divine fuccour, when he was leaft able of himfelf. And verily if men be humble as well as weak, and fenfible of their need of Gods help, they pray most devoutly for it, and obtain it fooner than any other; fo that we fee fometimes a weak Chriftian by continual applications to God doth ftand, when one who feemed much stronger falls by prefumption, and trufting to his own ftrength. Now for the weak-hearted, we do here beg two things,viz. That God would I Comfort, and 2 Help them, which words are not fuperfluous, but do put us in mind, that our hearts may be weak for want of Courage, and then we need Comfort, or they may be weak for want of Ability and ftrength,and then we need

help,