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plain these holy men had a very different apprehension of it, and hardly thought that such could be saved as continued in it.

15. And the same, or rather much worse, was their opinion of heretics and apostates: to the latter of which, as they seem even to have denied repentance, if their apostacy was joined with blasphemy, so it is manifest that without it they thought the others must perish. And in the mean time they declare that we ought not to have any communication with them; only we must pray for them, that they may be converted, which yet they supposed would be very hard.

16. As for those who continued in the doctrine and communion of the Church: here we mav see how zealous they were in attending all the public offices of it; how constantly they assembled together for the worship of God, notwithstanding all the malice and fury of their enemies against them upon the account of it: here we may observe how, from the beginning, they had their set times and places of worship; and how they looked upon such offertories, both as more acceptable unto God, and more prevalent with him, than any private addresses that they could make to him.

17. In these assemblies they not only put up their prayers to God, but received also the holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. And in that part of their service, none officiated but either the Bishop himself, or he who was appointed or allowed of by him.

18. For this purpose they had in every such place of their assembling, one table or altar, upon which their oblations were presented to God by the Bishops and Priests. And they communicated after the same manner that our Saviour Christ had set them the example, that is to say, both of the consecrated bread and wine, and the former taken from one common loaf, which was broken and distributed to them, not in little separate and unbroken wafers, as some now do.

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- Nor was this all; in these assemblies the holy tures were read to them; and (as I have before n) some of the very treatises I have here subjoinogether with them. And the Bishop himself inced the people, and expounded the doctrine of t to them. Ignat. mart. § 2.

- By the Bishop were the Christians blessed, and d together in the holy state of matrimony; and ed without him was nothing done of all that perdunto religion.

In those times the clergy were married as well ty; nor do we find it esteemed the least scandal em so to be.

- Here we may see what the antient manner of g was, and what was thought requisite to render exercises acceptable to God, and profitable to wn souls.

- In short, here we may perceive what their on was of repentance for sins; and how hardly thought of those who were still repenting, and till continued to sin on, notwithstanding their ent repentance. But especially, here we are that we must finish our repentance before we for that there is no place for repentance after. - And though they prescribe confession, as one Erepentance, and necessary to be performed in - to our forgiveness; yet we find no confession ioned to be made to any but to God only; which fore seems to intimate to us, that they accounted alone to have been sufficient.

- But the care of their Bishops in those first times not confined within the narrow bounds of their Churches, but extended to all the faithful, whereer they were. And they were still ready to look ose who were at the greatest distance from them, never they thought their advice or authority might ther useful to them, or for the honour and benetheir religion.-See Ignatius's Epistles and marom, &c.

26. From this, and from the general piety and excellence of their lives, joined to the greatness of their character in the Church, came that mighty respect that was paid to the Bishops in those days; and which how great it was, the following treatises abundantly shew.

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27. But much greater was their veneration for those, who not only governed well and adorned their holy profession by an exemplary life, but confirmed the truth of it with their blood. They were indeed of an opinion that no man ought causelessly to expose himself unto suffering; but if God called any one to it, they doubted not but that our Saviour Christ would both support him in his conflicts, and most gloriously reward him for the enduring of them. Hence was it their opinion, that martyrdom blotted out all sins; that they who suffered for the faith, should have a degree of glory peculiar to themselves, above all other Saints in God's Kingdom. And when God shewed such regard for them, they concluded that they could never almost do enough to testify their respect to them.

28. To this we must ascribe the care they took to gather up their remains, the honour which they paid to them, and the solemnities with which they deposited them into the earth. Hence came their custom, which we here find, of writing down the particulars of their conflicts, and sending them abroad to the Churches round about. Hence their anniversary meetings at their tombs and monuments, where they recited the acts of their martyrdoms, and sometimes made express discourses in praise of their martyrs, and to exhort one another to the like constancy.

29. But not to insist any longer upon these particulars, there is yet a third sort of matters contained in these discourses, and those of no less use to us, than either of the foregoing; and that is, the practical rules of life that are here delivered to us.

30. Here we may see what care we are to take, not only not to sin ourselves, but as far as in us lies,

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to let any that belong to us continue in sin, lest also become partakers of their evil doings. 1. Here we are taught not only to have a care of words and actions, but of our very thoughts and res; which must not be indulged in any instances in; nor be suffered, if it be possible, to wander any thing that is in the least measure wanton or gular.-Herm. I Vis.

2. If we will hearken to these holy men, we must n not only to do the will of God, but, if it be his asure must prepare our minds to endure patiently tever he shall think fit to lay upon us. We must sider, that troubles and afflictions are sent upon oth to punish us for our sins, and as monitors to w us off from them.

3. To convince us the more effectually of this, we here shewn the mighty danger of riches, especi- where men's hearts are in any degree set upon m; and how very hardly such persons shall be savWe are taught what use we should make of our ndance, that so it may not prove a snare to us. especially, we are shewn the great advantage of ing alms to this end; and what mighty engagents there lie upon us to the practice of it. 54. And then, as for our lives; we are here told, ta Christian must not only be good, but exempla

he must shew the truth of his profession by a table conversation; and be known by his actions, her than by his words.

35. He must pray for all men, even for his enemies; 7, for the very enemies of the Church; for heres and schismatics; for those of whom there is but le hope that they will ever come to repentance, or at God will give them grace so to do.

36. He must be kind and charitable to all men; e from envy and contention: he must neither raise y differences among his brethren, nor follow any the doing of it. To this end, he must carefully serve those duties which relate to his neighbour, as well as those he is to pay to God. He must obey magistrates, must respect the aged, must have a due regard to all men. Is he a husband, a parent, or a child? he must be sure to exercise himself in the several duties becoming those several relations. In short, in the following writings we may see in all the parts of our duty towards God, our neighbour, and ourselves, what we are to do, and what to avoid; and are assured, that God both sees all our actions now, and will reward or punish us for them hereafter to all eternity.

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37. And thus have I given a short prospect of what is more largely contained in the following collection. I need not say either how useful a variety of matter it is, or how worthy to be known by all of us. sure I am, whosoever shall take the pains impartially to compare what is here found with the sacred writings of the New Testament, he may be able both with clearness and certainty to understand whatever is requisite to his eternal salvation; and that with much more satisfaction and security too, than from many volumes of our later writers, who for the most part spend a great deal of time, and take much pains to obscure rather than explain the most easy and intelligiole points of our religion.

CHAPTER XII.

OF THE MANNER AFTER WHICH THESE DISCOURSES ARE WRITTEN, AND THE SIMPLICITY OF STYLE USED IN THEM.

That the writers of those times used no affectation of human eloquence, but delivered themselves with the greatest plainness that they were able. This manner of writing the best and most proper for instruction. A short account of the occasion of the present collection, and the translation that is here made of the following Treatises.

1. THERE is yet one thing to be observed by me, with reference to the discourses here subjoined; and

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