much discoursed of just before Repair therefore to your Seat or usual place in the Church and falling upon your Knees offer up to God this or the like prayer with the most devout affection Holiness O Lord becomes thine House for ever and therefore I beseech thee so to assist me with thy holy Spirit that I may offer unto thy divine Majesty such a lively sacrifice of prayer and praises as may be accepted through thy beloved Son and grant also that I may so hear thy holy word and attend to the Doctrine of the preacher that I may daily grow in grace and godliness and spiritual strength thro our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen When you have thus privately begg'd the Divine assistance you may then do well to exercise your self in pious meditations or in reading some portion of Gods word till the publick service of the Church begins which that you may be the better able to join in with all your Heart and Soul together with all those devour Christians who make conscience of waiting upon God in his holy Temple I advise you in the 3d place to be throughly acquainted with every part of the Common Prayer which you may do it to your satisfaction by a frequent and serious perusal together with an impartial consideration thereof for I am fully perswaded that none are so ready to despise it as those who are least acquainted with it I shall not therefore now give you a particular account of its method or of that admirable connexion which is observable between the several parts of it for these things are already done by some pious and learned Divines of our Church but shall only show you the necessity of that reverence which is due to the Majesty of that great and glorious God whom we are to worship when we assemble our selves together in those places which are dedicated to his service You must know therefore that the Reverence which we owe to Almighty God is twofold 1. Inward which is that of our Souls 2. Outward which is that of our Bodies In the first place when you come to worship the Lord you must be sure to sanctifie him in your Heart yielding unto him that inward and spiritual worship which is due to his infinite Majesty and this you must do by believing in him fearing him and loving him with all your heart and with all your mind with all your soul and with all your strength For when our hearts are deeply affected with the love of God our service will be abundantly the more chearful But yet we must not so love him as to neglect the getting our hearts also possest with an awful dread and reverence of his glorious Majesty for David tells us in Ps 89. 7. that God is greatly to be feared in the Congregation of Saints and to be had in reverence of all those that are about him When our hearts therefore are thus possest both with a reverential fear and love of God we shall then also be more careful to cleanse them from all impure and worldly thoughts and fix them with due attention upon those acts of Religion wherein we are exercis'd Thus as the more inward parts of Solomon's Temple were still more and more beautiful and glorious so we who profess Christianity and are said to be the Temple of the living God should be very careful that all the thoughts and intentions of our hearts be holy and spiritual every way so prepared and beautify'd that the Lord may be pleas'd to take up his residence in our hearts when we draw nigh to serve him But then 2. You must have a care that under a pretence of inward sanctity you do not destroy all outward decency for as in the first Commandment the Lord requires the inward and spiritual worship of your heart and therein doth more especially delight so in the second Commandment we are forbid to give any religious outward worship to any other Now by this we are to understand that the Lord expects that homage from us and challenges it as peculiarly due to himself because his honour and authority are hereby upheld greatly in the world So that we must not think it enough at all times to glorify God in our Spirits only but upon some occasions and especially when God is publickly worshipped by us we ought to glorify him in our Bodies also And the reason hereof as St Paul has plainly told us 1 Cor. 6. 20. is because he has not only created but redeemed both Soul and Body Ye are bought with a price says he therefore glorify God in your Body and in your Spirit which are Gods So that you see both Soul and Body should joyn together in all those acts of devotion whereby God is glorified For as to pretend that we can worship God sufficiently with our Souls only shows too much irreverence and rudeness in his presence so to imagine that we have no more to do than to be exact in all our outward gestures is the greatest Hypocrisy We have no reason it 's true to doubt but in some cases the Lord may accept the inward devotion of our hearts when we are not in a Capacity or have not an opportunity of giving any outward testimonies of it but we have no reason at all to hope for his acceptance of a few bare bodily actions while our hearts are wholly unconcern'd in his service Thus having shewed you the necessity both of that inward and outward reverence which we owe to God in his publick worship I shall in the next place take notice of those particular expressions of reverence to which we are obliged by the word of God the rules of our Church agreeable thereunto and to all which the practice of good and pious men in all ages have been conformable Now this outward reverence you must know may either be expressed by words or actions In words we reverence God provided always that our Hearts go along with our Tongues when we confess our sins unto him and offer up our prayers and praises with an audible Voice And this is undoubtedly a very great priviledge that the whole Congregation in some parts of Divine service are admitted to joyn with the Minister in offering up their devotions unto God and we should rejoyce in this Liberty especially since by this means we testifie to one another how ready we are with one Heart and one Mouth to glorify God And it is also to be consider'd that the people bearing a part with the Minister in the publick devotion may very much tend to the more inflaming one anothers devout affections and to the better fixing our mind in a diligent attendance upon our duty and so to the rendring our devotions the more acceptable Under the Law the people indeed were to bring their sacrifices and oblations to the Temple but the Priests only were to offer them up Whereas now under the gracious dispensation of the Gospel the people are so far
the Lord would not do it for he saw that notwithstanding all those afflictions which were befallen him he still held fast his Integrity And what shall we say of David unto whom as we read Acts 13. 22. the Lord himself gave testimony and said I have found David the Son of Jesse a man after my own heart 'T is true he grievously offended God more than once but then it is to be considered that the sincerity of his repentance made amends for all And we have no reason to doubt but that God was pleased to accept of his hearty sorrow instead of innocency Now if these and many other holy men under the Law were able through the Divine assistance so to walk before God as to be approved of him how little reason have we to doubt of the possibility of the same things being done by Christians now under the more glorious light and gracious dispensation of the Gospel Why may not we now as St Paul tells us he did exercise our selves in keeping a good Conscience void of offence towards God and towards man It must be confess'd that we are far from being able of our selves to do these things but as St Paul declared of himself Phil. 4. 13. So we may assure our selves that we may be able to do all things through Christ that strengthens us and we need not in the least doubt of his assistance upon our humble request at the Throne of Grace for the same So that now my Son you see how reasonably those people argue against our Baptismal Vow which contains nothing in it but what God has commanded and good men have practic'd Let no man therefore deceive you and say that we have promis'd more in your name than it 's possible for you to perform for if you will but in good earnest oppose these enemies of your Soul the World the Flesh and the Devil you 'll find the blessing of God concurring with your holy resolutions he that hath planted these things in your heart will also water and make them abundantly fruitful to the confusion of Satan the glory of God and the eternal Salvation of your immortal Soul And now having prov'd unto you the possibility of keeping your Baptismal Vow I shall in the 3d place shew you how great an obligation you lye under to observe it And to this purpose I might produce many arguments and sundry Texts of Scripture but because I rather desire to inform your judgment than burthen your memory I shall comprehend what I have to say upon this head in as few words as I can You must therefore know and be convinc'd of this that your eternal happiness depends upon your conscientious observation of this vow 'T is impossible for you to be made partakers of the mercies of God in Christ Jesus our Lord without repentance faith and new obedience For as our Saviour has told us Mat. 19. 17. that if we will enter into life we must keep the Commandments so St Paul has told us Heb. 11. 6. that without Faith it is impossible to please God And the same Apostle has also declar'd Rom. 8. 13. That if we live after the flesh we shall dye but if through the spirit we do mortifie the deeds of the body we shall live For these are the terms of the Covenant of grace between God and us that he will be graciously pleas'd to bestow upon us the pardon of our sins and everlasting life but it is upon this condition that we perform our part of the Covenant which iâ— to believe and to do those things that we have promiâ—'d in our Baptism And this is so plain that I do not think there is any need of insisting upon the proof of it because in all Covenants the party promising any benefits or priviledges is no farther oblig'd to make them good than the other party performs the duties promis'd and required on his part So that as you love your own Soul and desire to be for ever happy in the life to come it highly concerns you to be very mindful of your Baptismal Vow and careful to observe it But withal I would entreat you seriously to consider this one thing that Jesus Christ came into the World and suffered the cursed death of the Cross on purpose to purifie us and therefore shall we still continue in our filthiness and impurities he gave himself for us at it 's said Titus 2. 14. that he might redâ—em us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works and how then can we haâ—e the face to delight in sin why then should we thus prejudiee our own Souls why should we destroy our selves after all the care and pains that our Blessed Lord has been at to save us Have we more love for Satan than we have for God that we should make a scruple of renouncing the Devil both in our words and works have we more affection for sin that will ruin us than for holiness that will be a means to save us through Christ we are made the Children of God by Adoption and heirs through Grace of his Everlasting Kingdom and shall we be such fools as to sell our Birth-right like Esau for one sinful morsel and to destroy both Souls and Bodies for evermore Let me entreat you my Son to lay these things seriously to heart and be perswaded so to lead your life here that you may be for ever happy in the life to come for as you may learn from the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. last if you â—e stedfast and immoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord you may be assured that your labour shall nâ—â— be in vain in the Lord. So that altho it be certain thâ—â—â— is no other Sacrifice now under the Gospel bâ—â— that of Christ upon the Cross which can be â—ufâ—icient to satisfy Gods justice expiate our sin and obtain Eternal Redemption for us yet St. Paul teaches us Rom. 12. 1. that the preâ—enâ—â—ng our Bâ—diâ—s a â—iving Sacrâ—fice holy acceptable unto God is our râ—â—sonable â—â— vice So that altho the sacrifice of our selves whâ—ch we ought to offer up to God in keeping our Baptismal Vow cannot procure Salvation yet it is absolutely necessary for our reception of it And therefore instead of listning to those persons who are wont to argue against the possibility of their duty and like the faint-hearted Israelites when they return'd from taking a view of the promised Land cry out who shall be able to stand before these mighty Gyants how is it possible for any man to keep this Vow instead of giving an ear to such people I say if you will give up your self in earnest to the practice of holiness and heartily pray to the Lord for the gracious assistance of his holy Spirit tho you may probably find some difficulty in your first onset yet it 's certain that when once you are got into the way of it you 'll find
the practice of holiness one of the easiest and pleasantest things in the whole world you 'll take no greater pleasure in any thing than in denying your self nor find any greater comfort in the world than in getting the victory over it And now I shall conclude this head with those excellent words of our Church at the latter end of the office for Baptism where we are told that Baptism doth â—â—present unto us our profession which is to follow the example of our Saviour Christ and to be made like unto him that as he died and rose again for us so should we who are baptiz'd dye for sin and rise again unto righteousness continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living And now I hope you will see no reason for neglecting to be confirm'd but as our Church has explain'd the meaning of this word that being now come to the years of discretion and understanding what your God-fathers and God-mothers promised for you in Baptism you your self with your own mouth and consent openly before the Church will ratify and confirm the same and also promise that by the Grace of God you will evermore endeavour your self faithfully to observe such things as you by your own confession have assented unto Here 's nothing impossible as I have shew'd required of you nothing that 's truly difficult to a willing mind assisted by the Grace of Gods holy Spirit which is never wanting to those that heartily seek after it nothing finally but what is attended with the greatest comfort and satisfaction of mind in this life and which will render us capable through Jesus Christ of eternal glory in the life to come Whensoever therefore you shall be inform'd of the Bishops intention to confirm the youth of this Diocess I desire you not to neglect the first opportunity but take the best care you can to prepare your self for it by fasting and prayer some time before seriously meditating upon that solemn vow which you are to renew in the presence of Almighty God And when the time comes if no unavoidable accident shall hinder you repair to the place appointed with all possible seriousness and composedness of mind there standing before the Bishop give diligent attention to him while he asks you together with the rest whether you do in the presence of God and that Congregation renew the solemn promise and vow that was made in your name at your Baptism ratifying and confirming the same in your own person and acknowledging your self to believe and to do all those things which your Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for you and then make answer with an audible but yet humble voice and truly Christian courage saying I do After this be sure that you heartily join with the Bp in his prayers to God for you and all that are then confirm'd and when he shall lay his hand upon your head praying over you while you kneel before him let your devout affections go along with your words saying Amen heartily to that as to all the other Prayers of the Church And lastly when the Bp has pronounc'd the blessing see that you depart with a joyful and glad heart and yet humbly praising God in your mind that he has spar'd your life till that time and given you an opportunity of engaging your self personally in his Service from which you must resolve to let no temptation of the world the Devil or the flesh ever draw you but that you will continue Christs faithful Soldier and Servant to your lives end And now my Son having thus explain'd your Baptismal vow shew'd you the possibility of keeping it and the absolute necessity there is for you so to do in order to your Everlasting Salvation I have several other things to recommend to your pious consideration and which as I have opportunity I shall either do by word or writing but at present I shall only give you my advice in reference to your constant attendance upon the publick worship of God and the manner of your behaviour therein For having observ'd not without great trouble of spirit that as some are so luke-warm in Religion that they do not care how seldom they go to Church so they do not matter how irreverently they behave themselves in the House of God and consequently receive little or no benefit by their being there I have thought it convenient to give you some few instructions in these matters also which if you will be careful to observe and practise you may then through the Grace of God be edify'd by frequenting the Religious Assemblies of his People and by leading the rest of your life accordingly may at last obtain the eternal Salvation of your precious Soul 1. Therefore as to your giving constant attendance upon the publick worship of God I cannot but think it highly necessary in this loose and degenerate age to give you my advice in this matter it being commonly observ'd that many young people following the ill example of those who are old enough to have more knowledge than they seem to have by their way of living are very negligent herein either loytering at home rambling about the Fields or gadding from house to house when they should be waiting upon God in the House of Prayer You must know therefore that whereas God has allow'd us six days in the week to labour in and to do all that we have to do in reference to our worldly concerns commanding us to rest the seventh day he never intended hereby that we should give up our selves to idleness and vanity on that day or to spend it in drowsiness and sleep much less in sports and drunkenness but the will and command of the Lord is that we should remember to keep it Holy i. e. to spend that day in religious exercise giving up our selves to the service of God both publickly and privately but each in its proper season Thus we find that as the seventh day from the beginning was religiously observed in memory of the Creator of all things so the first day of the week ever since the Apostles times hath been piously observed in the Christian Church in memory of our Saviours resurrection as being the consummation of the great work of our Redemption Let me therefore advise you be very careful in spending the Lords Day in such a manner as that God may be thereby most glorified and this certainly you cannot do better than employing your self in the publick prayers and other religious exercises together with the congregation For however private devotions when duly performed in their proper season may be accepted of God yet we do edify one another as well as Glorify God most by the mutual examples and union of our publick devotions So that the Lord having been so liberal as to allow us six days for our selves reserving but one in the week for his more solemn worship and service how can any