[169] Yet I excuse not impiety or insufficiency in ministers. It was one of Solon's laws, Qui nequitia ac flagitiis insignis est, tribunali, publicisque suggestis arcendus est. And Gildas saith to the ungodly pastors of Britain, Apparet ergo eum qui vos sacerdotes sciens ex corde dicit, non esse eximium christianum.--Quomodo vos aliquid solvetis, ut sit solutum in cœlis, a cœlo ob scelera adempti? et immanium peccatorum funibus compediti? Qua ratione aliquid in terra ligabitis, quod supra mundum etiam ligetur, propter vosmet ipsos qui ita ligati iniquitatibus in hoc mundo tenemini, ut in cœlos nunquam ascendatis, sed in infausta tartari ergastula, non conversi in hac vita ad dominum, decidatis, Fol. ult. O inimici Dei, et non sacerdotes! O licitatores malorum, et non pontifices! Traditores, et non sanctorum apostolorum successores; impugnatores, et non Christi ministri.--p. 571. Impres. Basil. [170] Pii hominis est facere quod potest, etiamsi non faciat hoc quod est eligibilius. Bucholtz. [171] Prince Frederick of Monpelgard being instructed into a distaste of the reformed protestants, when he had been at Geneva and Helvetia, was wont to say, Genevæ et in Helvetia vidi multa de quibus nihil, pauca eorum de quibus sæpe audivi: ut Tossanus ad Pezelium referente Sculteto in Curric. p. 26. [172] Since the writing of this, I have published a book called "The cure of Church Divisions," and a "Defence of it:" which handle these things more fully. [173] Beda Hist. Eccles. lib. i. c. 26. Didicerat enim (Rex Edilburth) et a doctoribus, auctoribusque suæ salutis, servitium, Christi voluntarium, non coactitium debere esse. CHAPTER IX. HOW TO BEHAVE OURSELVES IN THE PUBLIC ASSEMBLIES, AND THE WORSHIP THERE PERFORMED, AND AFTER THEM. I have purposely given such particular directions in part ii. on this subject, and written so many books about it,[174] and said so much also in the Cases of Conscience, that I shall here only cast in a few common directions, lest the reader think I make a balk. _Direct._ I. Let your preparations in secret and in your family on the beginning of the Lord's days, be such as conduce to fit you for the public worship.[175] Run not to church as ungodly people do, with a carnal heart, that never sought God before you went, nor considered what you go about; as if all your religion were to make up the number of the auditors; and you thought God must not be worshipped and obeyed at home, but only in the church. God may in mercy meet with an unprepared heart, and open his eyes and heart, and save him; but he hath made no promise of it to any such. He that goeth to worship that God at church, whom he forgetteth and despiseth in his heart and house, may expect to be despised by him. O consider what it is for a sinner that must shortly die, to go with the servants of God to worship him; to pray for his salvation, and to hear what God hath to say to him by his minister, for the life of his immortal soul!