(148) 9. He muff receive thole publickly into the Church that tray repent , or credibly profefs to do fo ; and muff comfort himwith the declaration of the pardon of his fin. to. He muff perfwade the Church to receive him into their affeéfions and Chriffian Communion, and tò efteemand oft him as aBrother again. II.. And as to the Manner, all this muff bedone, I. with great Prudence anddifcretion ; elfethe Church may foon be fet on fire; ( asbya confeffion of a Deaconsadulteries at Conffantinople, ere.) 2. It muff be done with deliberation and- tbriughe acquaintance and information of the truth : elfe nth- and hafty judgments, and believing knaves- will difgrace the Bithop, and injure the juft, and gratifie the wicked, & breed uncurable breaches between fo unjuft a Bithop andthe flock.3.lt muffbe donewith the greateftférioufnefs, reverence,andgravity; As knowing that the honour ofGod and Religion and the Church lieth on it, and the comfort or recovery of thefouls of men,and the prefervation ofthe refit 'It isnot a Chancellors check, nor Paying, doyou repent,and willyoupayyourfeer, that difpatcheth,fue -as:this. It requireth much skilLand time and pa- tience. Poor {inners muff not be tamnln a potion nor isit imperious frowns thatmelt men into trueRepentance : The openingof the natureofthe fin, and the aggravation,notreproachfully but convincingly; the awakeningofa- fecure hardened firmer, with the terrors of the Lord ; the drawinghimhomeby the opening ofthe motives ofLoveandmercy ; do all require greaterskf, andboll- nefs, andlove to Souls, than moil Bifhops have thatever I was acquainted with ; much more than a -Lay Chancellor bath, who is theman that doth the work, that never pretended to be a Divine. Imuff profefs for myown part, that when I didthis pith others for onePa- rilh; itcalledfor moresklt, andholy" affeltionr, and confequently more convinced meofmy weaknefs, by far, than publick preaching to thepeople. Theheart of an honeft judge will be turnedwithinhim, before he pals-the fentence ofdeath on an offender. And before we pals the fentence o"Excommunication, "our bowels muff yearn over poor fouls, and allmeans-be tried to recoverthem. And here it is not the cleareft witnefs of the crime that will ferve turn : For menare not to be excommunicated for any ordinary crime, unlefs it have impenitency and oblfinacy added to it. And therefore the work of the Bithop is ( not like a fecularCourt to judge only of thefall andfault, but) to judge of mens repentance or "impenitence. And that is a thing that cannot be done by a few Lordly awful-words.- "nu will fay, Becaufe of 'all chie we judge thatordinary Frieffi are not to be treeß_ edwith fogreat a pork, but afew -wife and Reverend Prelates: Anf. Y- .I-never.yet knew-the bell -Bilhop that was to_be'compared for ability-in this work to many a Parifh Minifter that I have known Nor did lever know One Bifhop tolerably fit for it,who had not for a confiderable timebeen a labo- rious Parifh- Minifter. Thole-that come from the Univerfities tobe- Noblemens and Bithops Chaplains, and fò-get the Tythes of two or threerichBenefices, . and-them. are made _Prebends, Deans, and Matters of Colledges ; and then are made Bithops, May read, and talk" ofall this work; - but know-nomore what
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