William Beveridge: be steadfast in the faith of Christ

http://www.comfortablewords.com/comwords/diary/?p=2659

THE Collect for the Feast of St Mark the Evangelist, which falls today, appeals to God to rescue us from the empty teachings which have swirled around the churches since the very beginning.

O ALMIGHTY God, who hast instructed thy holy Church with the heavenly doctrine of thy Evangelist Saint Mark; Give us grace, that, being not like children carried away with every blast of vain doctrine, we may be established in the truth of thy holy Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

In this spirit, Bishop William Beveridge (1637-1708) begged his clergy to be content with the traditions of the Church of England.

I HUMBLY beseech and exhort you in the name of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, that as he hath been pleased to admit you into so holy and pure a Church, so you would all endeavour to live up to the rules and orders of it, as many here present do.

First, keep close to the words she uses in her Articles and common prayers; by this means you will have a right judgment in all things, and hold fast the form of sound words indeed. By this means you will be secure from heresy, and entertain no doctrine but what is catholic and orthodox. By this means whatsoever happens, you will still be stedfast in the faith of Christ, and not suffer yourselves to be imposed upon by the adversaries of our Church on either side; for if they cannot fasten new words upon you, it will be impossible for them ever to deceive you.

But then you must remember to conform to the discipline, as well as to the doctrine, of our Church, not hypocritically, indifferently, and partially, but sincerely, constantly, universally, so as to observe and do whatsoever she commands, either in her Liturgy, Canons, or Constitutions.

By this means you will live as the primitive Fathers did, and come short of none of the most eminent Christians that ever lived since the Apostles’ times. By this you will shame the adversaries of our Church into a compliance with her, when they see how far you outstrip them in all true grace and virtue: yea, by this means you will be really saints on earth, and glorified saints in heaven.

For be but you as pious towards God, as loyal to our queen, as sober in yourselves, as faithful to your friends, as loving to your enemies, as charitable to the poor, as just to all, as our Church enjoins you; in a word, be but you as conformable to her, as she is to the catholic Church in all things, and my life, my eternal life for yours, you cannot but be happy for evermore. Which God of his infinite mercy grant we may all be, in and through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; to whom, &c.

Sermons on the Ministry &c.. Sermon V: A Form Of Sound Words To Be Used By Ministers.