78. This being premised, I ask, How do we undermine or destroy the church? The provincial, visible church of _England_? The article mentions three things as essential to a visible church: 1st, Living faith, without which indeed there can be no church at all, neither visible nor invisible: 2dly, Preaching (and consequently hearing) the pure word of God, else that faith would languish and die: and, 3dly, A due administration of the sacraments, the ordinary means whereby God increaseth faith. Now come close to the question: in which of these points do we undermine or destroy the church?
Do we shut the door of faith? Do we lessen the number of believing people in _England_? Only remember what faith is, according to our homilies, (viz. “A sure trust and confidence in God, that through the merits of Christ my sins are forgiven, and I reconciled to the favour of God,”) And we appeal to all mankind, do we destroy this faith, which is the life and soul of the church? Is there, in fact, less of this faith, in _England_, than there was before we went forth! I think, this is an assertion, which the father of lies himself will scarce dare to utter or maintain.
With regard then to this first point, it is undeniable, we neither undermine nor destroy the church. The second thing is, the preaching the pure word of God. And do we hinder this? Do we hinder any minister from preaching the pure word of God? If any preach not at all, or not the pure word of God, is the hindrance in us or in themselves? Or, do we lessen the number of those that hear the pure word of God? Are then the hearers thereof (whether read or preached) _fewer_ than they were in times past? Are the usual places of public worship _less frequented_ by means of our preaching? Wheresoever our lot has been cast for any time, are the churches _emptier_ than they were before? Surely, none that has any regard left either for truth or modesty, will say, that _in this point_ we are enemies to, or destroyers of, the church.
The third thing requisite (if not to the _being_, at least) to the _well being_ of a church, is the due administration of the sacraments, particularly that of the Lord’s supper. And are we, in _this_ respect, underminers or destroyers of the church? Do we either by our example or advice, draw men away from the Lord’s table? Where we have labour’d most, are there the fewest communicants? How does the fact stand in _London_, _Bristol_, _Newcastle_? O that you would no longer shut your eyes against the broad light which encompasses you on every side!
79. I believe you are sensible by this time, not only how weak this objection is, but likewise how easy it would be, terribly to retort every branch of it upon most of those that make it: whether we speak of _true_ living faith, of preaching the _pure_ word of God, or of the due administration of the sacraments, both of baptism and the Lord’s supper. But I spare you. It sufficeth that our God knoweth, and will make manifest in that day, whether it be by reason of _us_ or _you_, that _men abhor the offering of the_ Lord.
80. Others object, “That we do not observe _the laws of the church_, and thereby undermine it.” What laws? The rubricks or canons? In every parish where I have been curate yet, I have observed the rubricks with a scrupulous exactness, not for wrath, but for conscience sake. And this, so far as belongs to an unbeneficed minister, or to a private member of the church, I do now. I will just mention a few of them, and leave you to consider, which of us has observed, or does observe them most.
1. Days of fasting or abstinence to be observ’d: The forty days of Lent, The Ember days at the four seasons, The three Rogation days, All Fridays in the year, except _Christmas_-day.
2. “So many as intend to be partakers of the holy communion, shall signify their names to the curate, at least some time the day before:
“And if any of these be an open and notorious evil liver,――――the curate shall advertise him, that in any wise he presume not to come to the Lord’s table, until he hath openly declared himself to have truly repented.
3. “Then (after the _Nicene_ creed) the curate shall declare unto the people, what holidays, or _fasting-days_, are in the week following to be observed.
4. “The minister shall first receive the communion in both kinds himself, and _then proceed to deliver the same to the bishops, priests, and deacons, in like manner_, if any be present, and _after that_, to the people.
5. “In cathedral and collegiate churches, and colleges, where there are many priests and deacons, they shall _all receive the communion with the priest, every Sunday at the least_.
6. “The children to be baptized must be ready at the font, _immediately after the last lesson_.
7. “The curates of every parish shall warn the people, that without great necessity, they procure not their children to be baptized _at home in their houses_.