to be always with him in the discharge of his office, saying to his apostles, and their successors for ever, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

Now the promises being duly weighed, even that our Lord himself is always present by his Holy Spirit with his apostles and their successors in the execution of the apostolical office, many useful inferences might be thence deduced. I shall instance in some few, which I hope will not be altogether unworthy of your consideration at this time.

Hence, therefore, in the first place, I observe how much we are all bound to acknowledge the goodness, to praise, magnify, and adore the name of the most high God, in that we were born and bred, and still live in a Church, wherein the apostolical line hath through all ages been preserved entire, there having been a constant succession of such bishops in it, as were truly and properly successors to the apostles, by virtue of that apostolical imposition of hands, which being begun by the apostles, hath been continued from one to another, ever since their time down to ours. By which means the same Spirit, which was breathed by our Lord into his apostles is, together with their office, transmitted to their lawful successors,-the pastors and governors of our Church at this time, and acts, moves, and assists at the administration of the several parts of the apostolical office in our days as much as ever. From whence it follows, that the means of grace, which we now enjoy, are in themselves as powerful and effectual as they were in the apostles' days; and if they prove not always so successful now as they were then, that cannot be imputed to any want of efficacy in them, but to some defect or other in those who use them; for they who are duly prepared, cannot but always find the same effect from them, because there is always the same cause, even the Spirit of God moving upon his word and sacraments, when administered by our Church, as well as when administered by the apostles, to whom it was first given.

And here it may not be amiss to observe, what I have often thought of, not without admiration, how strangely the spirit of the apostles hath run through our Church, all along, ever since the Reformation, diffusing itself from the head, which first received it, into all her real members: as may easily be seen, not only in the discipline of our Church, but likewise in its doctrine, manner of worship, patience under sufferings, universal charity, and particularly in its loyalty and submission to the civil magistrate; which the apostles, assisted by the Spirit of God, did not only press upon others, but practised themselves. And the same Spirit hath enabled our Church constantly to do the same: insomuch that malice itself could never fasten any thing of rebellion upon our Church, as now constituted, nor upon any of her members that lived faithfully in her communion. Many of them have suffered imprisonment, sequestration, yea, martyrdom itself, as the apostles did; and yet all have been as free from rebellion and treason as they were: which to me is a great instance of the same Spirit still working in our Church, which wrought so effectually upon them.

And this I verily believe is the great reason why the devil hath such a spite at our Church, still stirring up adversaries of all sorts against it: papists on the one hand, and sectaries on the other, and all, if possible, to destroy it: even because the Spirit which is ministered in it is so contrary to his nature, and so destructive of his kingdom, that he can never expect to domineer and tyrannize over the people of the land, so long as such a Church is settled among them, and they continue firm to it. And therefore, seeing he cannot, by all his secret plots and contrivances, totally overthrow it, he still uses the utmost of his skill and power to draw as many as he can from its communion, and so make them schismatics; that so being separated from the body, they may not partake of the Spirit that is in it, nor, by consequence, receive any benefit from this promise of our blessed Saviour to the governors of the Catholic and Apostolic Church in all

ages, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

The next thing I would observe unto you, from what we have now discoursed of, concerns us of the clergy, who are entrusted with any part of the apostolical office. For being ordained by those who succeeded the apostles in a direct line, by the imposition of their hands upon us, we received not only power to administer the word and sacraments, but likewise the Spirit of Christ to accompany and influence such administrations: by whom, therefore, Christ himself is always present with us, whensoever we are employed in the work that he hath set us. Which consideration, methinks, should strike an awe and terror into us, and make us dread the thoughts of doing the work of our Lord negligently. And therefore, whether we minister unto him in the public liturgy of our Church, read or preach his holy word, or administer his blessed sacraments, let us all be persuaded to have an especial care that we do it not after a careless or perfunctory manner, but with all that reverence and godly fear, with that earnestness and devotion, with that seriousness and intention of mind, as becomes those who believe that our Lord himself is always present with us, not only to take notice of what we do, but to bless and sanctify it to the salvation of men's immortal souls.

Hence also it concerns us all, to carry and behave ourselves at all times, to the utmost of our power, as becometh the ministers of Christ; to whom the eternal Son of God hath vouchsafed so high an honour, as not only to employ us in his own immediate service, but likewise to reside himself continually with us. And therefore, seeing he is pleased to honour us with his own presence, let us endeavour to honour him too, by walking in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. Especially, let us take all the care we can to avoid whatsoever is offensive to him, or unworthy of that high and heavenly calling in which he hath placed us. It is true, the efficacy of

the word and sacraments is not impeded by the wickedness or unworthiness of him by whom they are administered, as our Church hath rightly determined; because that depends not upon the person, but the office, and Christ's promise to it. But, howsoever, it behoves us, who attend continually upon him, to walk in all the commandments of the Lord blameless; lest otherwise we bring a scandal upon our profession, and give too much occasion to the enemies of our Lord to blaspheme his most sacred name: especially considering what a sad and dismal thing it would be, if we, who are employed by Christ to persuade others to obey his gospel, should not obey it ourselves, and so not save ourselves as well as those that hear us; but be instruments in God's hand to bring others to heaven, and yet we ourselves be cast down to hell which is not only possible, but impossible to be avoided, unless we look very narrowly to ourselves. I am I am sure St. Paul thought so, and therefore saith, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway'." And if so great an apostle was forced to take so much pains with himself, lest, when he had preached salvation unto others, he himself should not attain it, what cause have you and I to do so! But our comfort is, that our Lord is always present with us; and, therefore, we can never want assistance from him, if we be not first wanting to ourselves.

Hoping, therefore, that this consideration of Christ's promise to us will have its desired effects upon us of the clergy, I shall in the next place show what use others also may, and ought to make of it: and for that end, shall apply myself unto you all. Seeing, therefore, that our Lord hath promised to be with his apostles and their successors to the end of the world; seeing the succession of the office apostolical hath without interruption been continued in our Church

1 1 Cor. ix. 27.

to this day; and seeing, therefore, that Christ, according to his promise, is alway present by his Holy Spirit at the word and sacraments, as administered by our Church, to quicken, actuate, and make them effectual to the salvation of our souls; hence in his name, and for his sake, and your own too, I humbly pray and beseech you all, that you would take all the opportunities you can to meet your Lord and Saviour in the public offices of the Church, to which he hath thus promised his peculiar presence. And think it

not enough to be there; but consider all the while in whose presence you are, and deport yourselves accordingly. And while we read or preach the Gospel, call upon you, exhort and pray you to observe whatsoever Christ hath commanded, still remember the apostle's words, that "we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God?" And, therefore, receive it not as the word of man, but, as it is indeed, the word of God himself.

Above all things, take heed that you have not men's persons in admiration, so as to think the word and sacraments one jot the better or worse, because administered by one person rather than another. For they that do so, it is evident, regard the person more than the office; and then it is no wonder if they receive no benefit or advantage from it. For all the hopes and expectations that we have, or can have, from the exercise of any ecclesiastical office, by whomsoever performed, are grounded only upon Christ's promise to the office itself,—to be present with it by his Holy Spirit; without which all the fine words and phrases in the world can never mortify one lust, nor convert one soul to God and goodness. And therefore ye, whensoever you address yourselves to the public prayers of our Church, to hear God's word read, or preached, or to receive the holy sacrament, still keep the eye of your faith fixed upon Christ, as there