^ ^ w • % 
 
 Ex Libiii 
 \ C. K. OGDEN 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 'Z/,/- 
 
 EIGHT 
 
 CHARGES 
 
 DELIVERED TO THE 
 
 CLERGY 
 
 OF THE DIOCESES OF 
 
 OXFORD AND CANTERBURY. 
 
 TO WHICH ARE ADDED 
 
 INSTRUCTIONS 
 
 TO 
 
 CANDIDATES for ORDERS3 
 
 AND A 
 
 LATIN SPEECH 
 
 Intended to have been made at the Opening 
 of the Convocation in 1761. 
 
 By T H O M A S S E C K E R, LL. D. 
 
 Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. 
 
 - — ■ — -_.. ,, , , ._, m- 
 
 Publifhed from the Original Manufcripts, 
 
 By Beilby Porteus, D.D. and George Stinton> D.D, 
 
 His Grace's Chaplains. 
 
 The fourth EDITION. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for John, Francis and Charles Rivincton, 
 N° 62, St. Paul's Church yard; and Benjamin Whitx 
 and Sow, in Fleet ftreet. 1790.
 
 
 C 
 
 xe^"^^^
 
 5X 
 ^034- 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Cr'HE B'tpp of Oxford'i Charge to his 
 
 JL Clergy in the Tear 1738, Page 3 
 
 T'he Bijhop of Oxford'j Charge to his Clergy 
 in the Tear 1741, 47 
 
 I'he BiJJjop of Ox ford 'j Charge to his Clergy 
 in the Tear 17^7, ^7 
 
 The Bifiop of Oxford'i Charge to his Clergy 
 in the Tear 1750, 123 
 
 The Bifiop of Oxford'i Charge to his Clergy 
 in the Tear 1753, i6_j 
 
 The Archbijl^op of Canterbury'^ Charge to his 
 Clergy in the Tear 175B, 205 
 
 The Archbifjop 0/ Canter bury'j Charge to his 
 Clergy in the Tear 17 bi, 245 
 
 The ArchbiJl:op o/' Canterbury '5 Charge to his 
 Clergy in the Tear 1766, 2B7 
 
 Jnflruciions given to Candidates for Orders af- 
 ter their fill fcribing the Articles, 327 
 
 Q ratio quani coram Synodo Provina)^ Cantiia- 
 
 rienfis anno 1 76 1 convocatd habendam fcrip' 
 
 ferat^ fd morbo prapcditus non habuity 
 
 ArchiepifcopuSy 349 
 
 J 048077
 
 LATELY PUBLISHED, 
 
 By JoHxN RiviNGTON and Sons, in St. 
 Paul's Church-yard i and Benjamin 
 White and Son, in Fleet-Street; 
 
 I. /t Rchbi{hopSECKER's Lectures on the CatechiTm, 
 /-\^ in Two Vols. Octavo, Seventh Edition, Price 
 
 I2S. bound. 
 
 II. Archbifiiop Secker's Sermons on feveral Occafions; 
 to which is prefixed, A Review of his Grace's Life 
 and Charadter. In Seven Vols. 0«Stavo, Price 2I. 2S. 
 
 The above Nine Volumes were publ'ijhed from the original 
 Manufcripts, by his Grace's Chaplains^ Beiley Por- 
 TEUs, D. D. now Lord Bi/hop of London^ and George 
 Stinton, D.D. 
 
 III. Archbifhop Secker's Nine Sermons preached in 
 the Parifh of St. James^ Weftminjlcr^ on Occafion of 
 the War and Rebellion in 1745. Publiflied in his 
 Grace's Life-time. To which are added. His Grace's 
 Anfwer to Dr. Mayhew, and his Letter to Mr. 
 Horatio VValpole. The Third Edition, Price 6s. 
 
 IV. Archbifhop Secker's Fourteen Sermons on feveral 
 Occafions. Publifhed in his Grace's Life-time. The 
 Second Edition, in one Vol. 0<Slavo, Price 6s. 
 
 ^ The above mentioned Eleven Vols, with thefe 
 Charges, compleat his Grace's Works in Twelve 
 Vols. Odavo, Price 3I. I2s. neatly bound.
 
 THE 
 
 CHARGE 
 
 OF 
 
 THOMAS Lord Bifhop of Oxford 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 CLERGY of the Diocese, 
 HIsPRIMARY VISITATION1738. 
 
 Tuhlijhed at Their R e (^^u est. 
 
 The seventh EDITION.
 
 Reverend Brethretiy 
 
 I AM very fenfible, that you cannot meet 
 together on this Occafion, without 
 making deep Refledions on the Lofs, 
 which you have faffered, for the public 
 Good, by the Removal of a Paftor, whom 
 the Experience of fo many Years hath taught 
 you to efteem and honour fo highly. It is 
 your farther Unhappinefs, that He is fuc- 
 ceeded by a Perfon, very unequal to the Care 
 of this confpicuous and important Diocele. 
 But your Humanity and your Piety will, I 
 doubt not, incline you, both to accept and 
 to alTill: the Endeavours of one, who can 
 aflure you, with very great Truth, that he is 
 earneftly defirous of being as ufefal to you 
 all, as he can; and ferioully concerned for 
 the Interefts of Religion, and of this Church. 
 Would to God there were lefs Need of ex- 
 
 A 2 prefTmg
 
 4 "The Bifiop <?/ Ox F OR d'^ 
 
 prefling a Concern for them, than there is at 
 
 prefent ! 
 
 Men have always complained of their own 
 Times: and always with too much Reafon. 
 But though it is natural to think thofe Evils 
 the greateft, which we feel ourfelvesi and 
 therefore Miftakes are eafily made, in com- 
 parii^g one Age with another : yet in this we 
 cannot be millaken, that an open and pro- 
 fefled Difregard to Religion is become, 
 through a Variety of unhappy Caufes, the 
 diftinguifhing Charafler of the prefent Age; 
 that this Evil is grown to a great Height in 
 the Metropolis of the Nation j is daily 
 fpreading through every Part of it 5 and, 
 . bad in itfelf as any can be, mull: of Neceffity 
 bring in mod others after it. Indeed it hath 
 already brought in fuch DifTolutenefs and 
 Contempt of Principle in the higher Part 
 of the World, and fuch profligate Intem- 
 perance, and FearleiTnefs of committing 
 Crimes, in the lower, as muft, if this Tor- 
 rent of Impiety ftop not, become abfolutely 
 fatal. And God knows, far from flopping, 
 it receives, through the il] Defigns of fome 
 Perfons, and the Inconfideratenefs of others, 
 
 a continual
 
 Jirft Charge to /j'u Cl'E'b.gy, 5 
 
 a continual Increafe. Chriflianity Is now 
 ridiculed and railed at, with very little Re- 
 ferve: and the Teachers of it, without any 
 at all. Indeed with Refped to Us, the Rule, 
 which mod of our Adverfaries appear to have 
 fet themfclves, is, to be, at all Adventures, 
 as bitter as they can : and they follow it, not 
 only beyond Truth, but beyond Probability: 
 alTerting the very worft Things of us without 
 Foundation, and exaggerating every Thing 
 without Mercy ; imputing the Faults, and 
 fometlmes Imaginary Faults, of particular 
 Perfons to the whole Order ; and then de- 
 claiming ag-ainft us all promifcuoufly with 
 fuch wild Vehemence, as, in any Cafe but 
 ours, they themfclves would think, in the 
 higheil Degree, unjuft and cruel. Or if 
 fometimes a few Exceptions are made, they 
 are ufually made only to divide us amongft 
 ourfclves : to deceive one Part of us, and 
 throw a greater Odium upon the other. 
 Still, were thefe Invedives only to affed Us 
 perfonally, dear as our Reputations are and 
 ought to be to us, the Mifchief would be 
 fmall, in comparifon of what it is. But the 
 Confequence hath been, as it naturally mull:, 
 
 A 3 that
 
 6 The Bif:op of Oxford'^ 
 
 that Dlfregard to Us hath greatly increafed 
 the Difregard to public Worfliip and In- 
 Aruclion : that many are grown prejudiced 
 againlt Religion j many more, indifferent 
 about it and unacquainted with it. And the 
 Emiflaries of the Romijh Church, taking the 
 Members of ours at this unhappy Difadvan- 
 tage, have begun to reap great Harvefts in 
 the Field, which hath been thus prepared 
 for them by the Labours ©f thofe, who 
 would be thought their moft irreconcileable 
 Enemies. 
 
 Yet, however melancholy the View before 
 us appears, we have no Reafon to be dif- 
 couraged: for let us take Care of our Duty, 
 and God will take Care of the Event. But 
 we have great Reafon to think feriouily, what 
 our Duty on this Occafion isj and ftir up 
 each other to the Performance of it : that 
 where-ever the Guilt of thefe Things may 
 fall, it muft not fall on our heads. For it 
 mujl needs be^ that Offences come: but wo to 
 that Man, by whom the Offence cometh*. 
 Our Grief for the Decay of Religion might 
 be attended with much Comfort in Regard to 
 
 ^ Matth. xviii. 7. 
 
 ourfelves>
 
 Jirjl Charge to his Clergy. 7 
 
 ourfelvcs, could we but truly fay, that no 
 Faults or Infirmities of ours had ever given 
 Advantages againft it. But though, Gcd be 
 thanked, we are far from being what our 
 Adverfaries would reprefent us; whofe Re- 
 proaches perhaps were never lefs deferved, 
 than now when they are the moft violent : 
 yet, it muft be owned, we are not by any 
 Means, even the beft of us, what we ought 
 to be. And the prefent State of Things 
 calls loudly upon us, tocorredl ourMiftakes, 
 to fupply our Deficiencies, and to do all we 
 are able for the Honour of God, and the 
 Happinefs of Mankind, 
 
 If we can be unconcerned now, we have 
 neither Piety nor common Prudence in us. 
 And if we are concerned in Earneft, we fhall 
 be very defiroua, both to avoid all wrong 
 Methods of {hewing it, and to make ufe of 
 all right ones. 
 
 Complaining of our Superiors for thofe 
 Evils, which perhaps they cannot prevent; 
 or complaining of them with Difrefpec^t, 
 for what we may apprehend they could 
 prevent, would both be undutiful and im- 
 prudent Condud: would give our Adverfaries 
 
 A 4 jov.
 
 8 *Thc Bifiop o/* Ox F rd'^ 
 
 Joy, and do our Caufe Harm. Indeed to 
 beg earneftly of God, that He would diredl 
 the Hearts of thofe, who prefide over the 
 public Welfare J and humbly to reprefent 
 to them* on all fit Occafions, the declining 
 State of Religion, the Importance and the 
 Means of preferving it ; thefe Things are un- 
 queftionable Duties. But then we muft 
 always approve ourfelves, at the fame Time, 
 confcientioufly loyal both in Word and deed; 
 reafonable in our Expedlations ; fincerely 
 grateful for the Protedlion, which we are 
 affured of enjoying j and duly fenfible, that 
 every Thing of Value to us, in this World, 
 depends on the Support of that Government, 
 under which we now live. We cannot be 
 good Men, if we are bad Subjeds; and we 
 are not wife Men, if we permit ourfelves to 
 be fufpeded of it. 
 
 A fecond proper Caution is. That to fpcak 
 unfavourably of Liberty, religious or civil, 
 inflead of carefully diftinguifhing both from 
 the many Abufes of them, which we daily 
 fee ; or to encourage any other Reftraints or 
 either, than public Utility makes evidently 
 needful ; can only ferve to increafe that 
 6 Jealoufy,
 
 firjl Charge to bis Clergy. 9 
 
 Jealoufy, which, being in former Ages 
 grounded too vvell, hath been moO: induflri- 
 ouily heightened, when there never was {o 
 little Pretence of Ground for it; that the 
 Claims of the Clergy are hurtful to the 
 Rights of Mankind. It concerns us greatly 
 to remove fo dangerous a Prejudice againft 
 us, as this: not by renouncing thofe Powers, 
 which the Gofpel hath given usj for we are 
 bound to affert them: but by convincing 
 the World, that they are perfedly innocent; 
 and avoiding all Appearance of affuming 
 what we have no Right to: by fhewing our 
 Abhorrence of Tyranny, efpecially over the 
 Confciences of Men; and latisfying them 
 fully, if pofiible, that we preach ?2Gt ourjehes^ 
 but Chriji Jefus, ike Lord-, arid our [elves , 
 their Servants for his Sake ^. Then, with Re- 
 fpecft to the Privileges, that we derive from 
 human Authority: as, on the one Hand, 
 receding from any of them without Caufe 
 is only inviting frefli Encroachments, and 
 giving needlefs Advantages to fuch as will 
 be fure to lofe none: (o, on the other, 
 draining them too far is the likelielt Way 
 
 * 2 Cor. iv. 5. 
 
 to
 
 10 ^he Bijhop of Oxford's 
 
 to deflroy them all at once: and both our 
 Ulefulnefs and our Security depend very 
 much, on our appearing plainly to defire 
 nothing inconfiftent with the common Good^ 
 to have the truefi: Concern for all reafonable 
 Liberty, and to be zealous only againft Li- 
 centioufnefs and Confufion. 
 
 Thirdly, If we (hould be tempted to 
 oppofe Profanenefs, by encouraging the op- 
 pofite Extreme of Superilition: this alfo 
 would be unjuftifiable in itfelf ; would have 
 bad Effedls upon as many as we might 
 miflead ; and give great Opportunities to all 
 that (hould fee them milled, either of ac- 
 cufing Religion, or expofing us, as Corrup- 
 ters of Religion. Not that we are to give 
 up inconfiderately, whatever fome Perfons 
 are pleafed to charge with Superdition : for 
 there would be no End of Conceffions at that 
 Rate: but only to avoid encouraging any 
 Thing, that can be juftly charged with it; 
 and then we (hall (tand upon fure Ground. 
 For nothing can be more unjud:, than thofe 
 Imputations of it, which our Adverfaries are 
 fo fond of throwing, fome upon Chriftianity 
 itfelf, others on the Dodrine and Wor(hip of 
 
 that
 
 Jirjl Charge to his Cl'E'RGY. i i 
 
 that Church, of which, through God's mer- 
 ciful Providence, we have the Happinefs to 
 be Members. 
 
 Another very pernicious Error would be, 
 if we fhould think to ferve our Caufe by 
 intemperate Warmth in it. Chriflian Zeal 
 indeed is a Dutv, that never was more 
 needful, and never lefs fhewn. But PafTion 
 will do no Good. If exprelTed againft thofe, 
 who are indifferent about Religion, it will 
 turn them into Enemies : if againft the 
 Enemies of Religion, it will make them yet 
 more vehement Enemies. Befides, the ex- 
 travagant Things, that Men fay and attempt 
 againft us and our Profeflion, are not always 
 defigned Injuries j but frequently the EfF^dts 
 of Mifreprefentations, and Prejudices, that 
 have imperceptibly taken hold on Perfons, 
 who otherwife mean tolerably well. Nov/ 
 Mildnefs to fuch as thefe, is but Ju(lice : and 
 to all others, it is Prudence. Railing is 
 the Province, which our Adverfaries have 
 chofen : and let us leave it to them. For 
 whatever Succefs They may meet with that 
 Way, as indeed they excel in it, We fl:iall 
 meet with none : but only make the Spirit 
 
 of
 
 12 I'he BiJJjGp cf Oxford's 
 
 > 
 
 of ChriTiianity be mifunderftood and ill 
 fpoken of, by cur own Want of it. There- 
 fore, how injurioufly foever v/e may be 
 treated, let us return neither Injuries nor 
 harfli Treatment for it: nor endeavour to 
 mark out thofc Perfons for Objeds of po- 
 pular Hatred, who are ever fo unwearied in 
 labouring to make Us fo. Yet, at the fame 
 Time we muft never court irreligious Men by 
 wrong Compliances j never contribute to 
 increafe their Power of doing Harm ; never 
 defert our Duty, either for Fear of them, or 
 Favour from them. But then let us defend 
 both Religion and ourfelves, with that Fair- 
 nefs and Decency, as well as Courage, which 
 becomes our Funftion: acknowledge inge- 
 nuoufly whatever can be alledged againft us 
 with Truth, only claiming equitable Al- 
 lowances ^ and where Charges are untrue, 
 yetufe mild Expoftulations, not Reproaches; 
 and try to ihame our Oppofers by the 
 Reafonablenefs of what we fay, rather than 
 exafperate them by the Vehemence of it. 
 They indeed have little Caufe either to com- 
 plain or to triumph, if, under fuch grofs 
 Provocations as they give, our Tempers fome- 
 
 times
 
 firjl Charge to his CiERCY. 13 
 
 times fails: but wc have great Caufe to do 
 our utmoft, that it fail not. 
 
 And if undue Severity of Speech muft be 
 forborn towards profefled Enemies; much 
 more to thofe, who may, for aught we 
 know, d-fign thcmfelves for Friends. In- 
 deed, when it is evident, that Men only put 
 on a Pretence of wifhing well to Chriftlanity, 
 or the Teachers of it ; and, whillT: they 
 afFed to charge us with Uncharitablenefs for 
 queftloning their Sincerity, would defpife us 
 for believing them : there we muft be al- 
 lowed to fee what plainly appears; and to 
 fpeak of them, both as Adverfaries, and un- 
 fair ones. Or when Dodrines, whatever the 
 Intention of propagating them be, are in- 
 confiftent either with the Whole or any Part 
 of our Religion; it is no Uncharitablenefs, 
 but our Duty, to lay open the Falfhocd and 
 the Danger of them. Nay, fuppoiing only 
 the legal Efi:ablifhQ:ient of Pvcligion, or fome 
 Branch of it, be attacked ; yet the Attempt 
 may both be injurious enough to Us, and 
 detrimental enough to the Public, to defervc 
 a vigorous Oppofition. But to Oiew Paffiou 
 and Bitternefs in any of thefe Cafes; to take 
 
 Pleafurc
 
 1 4 ' 'The BJJJjop of Oxf o R d'^ 
 
 Pleafure in making Mens Miftakes or Defigns 
 thought worfe than they arc i to judge harfhly 
 of them with Refpe(ft to another World, or 
 expofe them to ill Ufage in this; to refufe 
 them due Allowances for human Infirmity, 
 or be more backward to own their Merits, 
 than to fee their Faults : fuch Behaviour, in- 
 flead of promoting Truth, will prejudice the 
 World againft it i will give Unbelievers dread- 
 ful Advantages, and for ever prevent that 
 Union amongft Chriflians, which would pro- 
 cure us, above all Things, the Efteem of 
 Men, and the BlelTing of God. 
 
 From thefe improper Methods of fup- 
 portlng Religion, let us now proceed to the 
 proper ones. And they will naturally fall 
 under the general Heads, of cur Inftrudions 
 and our Lives. 
 
 Giving Inftrudlon requires Knowledge. 
 And therefore, as a competent Degree of it 
 is juflly expe(5ted of Peribns, before they 
 enter into Holy Orders: fo, when they enter, 
 the Care of making a continual Progrefs in it 
 is folemnly promifedby them, andcovenanted 
 for with them. What may be a very good 
 Beginning, is by rvo Means a fufficient Stock 
 
 to
 
 Jirft Charge to hts Cl-e^gy, 15 
 
 to go on with; and even that will lefTen, if 
 no Pains be taken to increafe it. Continued 
 Application then is a Duty of Importance. 
 Perfons of lower Abilities and Attainments 
 are in Danger, without it, of being ufelefs and 
 defpifed: and they, who fet out with greater 
 Advantages, are bound to endeavour at doing, 
 in Proportion, greater Services to the Church 
 of God. Without Exception therefore, all 
 who are engaged in fo ferious an Employ- 
 ment as ourSj if they have any Regard either 
 to their Duty or their Charader, muft take 
 care not to be more remarkable for their Di- 
 verfions than their Studies ; nor iiidolently to 
 trifle their Time away, inftead of employing 
 it to good Purpofes. And though moft Parts 
 of Learning will be ufeful to us, and all Parts 
 ornamental; yet we mufl: be fjrc lo remem- 
 ber what we have been folemnly admonished 
 of, that no Attention to any Thing elfe, ought 
 ever to draw us away from the Purfuit of 
 fuch Knowledge, as is properly Theological. 
 For to excel in other Things, and be deficient 
 in that, cannot but cafl a grievous Refiedion ; 
 either on us, for not ftudying what we pro- 
 fefs; or on our ProfeiTion, as having little in 
 
 it
 
 1 6 The Bijhop ofOxTORfy's- 
 
 it worth {ludying. Our principal Bufinefs 
 therefore inuil: be, to obtain a thorough Ac- . 
 quaintance with the Chriftian Faith: firft 
 the Grounds, then the Dodrines of it. And 
 the previous Qualifications for attempting 
 this are, a due Knowledge of the Rules of 
 right Reafoning, and of the moral and reli- 
 gious Truths which Nature teaches ; of the 
 State of the World in its earlier Ages, and in 
 that when Chriftianity firft appeared. Thefe 
 Preparations being made, the great Thing re- 
 quiiite in the next Place is a diligent Search 
 into Holy Scripture. For there it is, that 
 both the authentic Syftem of our Belief, and 
 the chief Evidence for it, arc exhibited to. 
 our View. Scripture therefore, above all 
 Thii|j|, the Infidel endeavours to ridicule; 
 the miftaken Chriftian, to wreft- in Support 
 of his Errors: and if we defire, either to con- 
 fute them, or to fatisfy ourfelves; our only 
 Way muft be, to underftand it well. For 
 which End it is quite necefi!ary, that we 
 make the original Language, at leaft of th? 
 New Teftament, familiar to us: and were 
 that of the Old more commonly ftudied, the 
 Advantages would be very confiderable. 
 
 In
 
 fiijl Charge to his Clergy. 17 
 
 In order to fee clearly, on what Grounds 
 our Belief ftandsj together with the facred 
 Volumes themfclves, the Writings of fuch 
 learned Perfons, as have proved their Autho- 
 rity, and vindicated their Accounts of Things^ 
 muft be carefully read; and attentively com- 
 pared with thofe Objedions againfl them, 
 which have been revived of late, drefled up 
 with fo much Art, and fpread abroad with fo 
 much Diligence. For in our prefent Circum- 
 flanccs we are always liable to be attacked : 
 and confider, what an unhappy Triumph it 
 would afford, (hould we be found unprovided 
 of a rational Defence. It is very true, the ge- 
 neral Evidence, which we have for our Faith 
 isabundantlyfufficientofitfelf, to overbalance 
 many Difficulties concerning it, and ever fo 
 many Cavils againft it. But yet our being 
 unqualified to give more particular Anfvvers, 
 where they can be given ; as indeed there are 
 few Cafes, where they cannot; may often 
 prove a great Reproach to Us, and a great 
 Stumbling-block to others. 
 
 Next to the Grounds of Religion, the Doc- 
 trines of it, cfpecially the more important and 
 difputed ones, ought to be fludied, with fuch 
 
 B Diligence
 
 1 g ike BiJI:op of Oxford'^ • 
 
 t)iHgence and Impartiality, as may befl dirco«« 
 ver to us the Nature of every Opinion, and the 
 Force of every Argument : that fo we may 
 neither load Chriftianity with what doth not 
 belong to it ; nor betray, inftead of defending 
 it> by giving up what doth 3 but faithfully 
 keep that which is committed to our ^ruft'\ 
 both entire and unmixed. To fecure this 
 great End, we mud ever adhere ftridiy to the 
 Word of God, fairly interpreted by the Help 
 of all fuch Means as Providence hath given 
 US; and carefully avoid, on the one Hand, 
 Fondnefs of Novelty; and, on the other, 
 over-great Reverence of Antiquity, efpecially 
 fuch as comes fhort of the earlieft. But 
 againft the former of thefe, it is peculiarly- 
 needful to caution the rifing Generation; 
 whom the Rafhnefs of Youth, and the petu- 
 lant Spirit of the prefent Age, too often 
 hurries into a Orange Vehemence for any 
 Imagination, which they have happened to 
 take up: and prompts them to fly out againft 
 eftablifhed Doftrines, without having always 
 the Patience even to underftand them. Such 
 therefore fliould be exhorted to learn a pro* 
 
 ' I Tim. vi. 20. 
 ' • per
 
 Jirjl Charge to his CleRgy. 19 
 
 J3er Degree, both of Silence and Sufpence, 
 till cooler Thought, and farther Inquiry, 
 make them fitter Judges of Things. But 
 befides thofe Controverfies, to which this 
 Caution chiefly relates ; that between the 
 Papifts and Us deferves at prefent to be well 
 ftudied, by fuch of you, as live in the Neigh- 
 bourhood of any. For feldom have they 
 fhewn more Zeal or more Artifice^ than of 
 late, in their Attempts of making Profelytcs. 
 And therefore it is of great Confequence, that 
 we provide ourfelves againft them, with a fuf- 
 iicient Knowledge of their real Dodrines, 
 their moft fpecious Pleas, and the proper An- 
 fwers to them. Another Subject, with which 
 we are concerned to be well acquainted, is 
 what relates to the Government and Worfhip 
 Difcipline and Eftablifhment of our own 
 Church. Different Parts of our Ecclefiafti- 
 cal Conftitution are frequently cenfured, by 
 different Sorts of Perfons, with very different 
 Views: though indeed the moft oppofite of 
 them have appeared, ibr lome Time, unac- 
 countably difpofed to unite againft us ; and 
 Believers to join with Infidels in ufing their 
 Chriflian Brethren ill. It may therefore be 
 
 B 2 of
 
 2 O The Bi/J:cp ^ O x r o R D V 
 
 of great Ufe, to inform ourfeives diligently 
 concerningeveryThingof this Nature, which 
 is fpoken of to our Prejudice j and be always 
 ready to fhew the genuine State of the Cafe, 
 with Mildnefs and Fairnefs. But no Con- 
 troverfies, however needful, mufl: be fuffered 
 to divert our Attention from what is of all 
 Things the moft needful, the Study of prac- 
 tical Religion, and of the common Duties of 
 Life. Thefe are the Things, which Man- 
 kind are moft apt to fail in, and moft con- 
 cerned not to fail in : and therefore fpending 
 much Time upon them, obtaining a thorough 
 Infight into them, and having a deep Senfe 
 of them, is the very Foundation of doing 
 good both to others and to our own Souls. 
 
 A competent Provifion of Knowledge be- 
 ing fuppofed, the next Thing is communi- 
 cating it to thofe who are under our Care, in 
 fuch Manner as their Circumftances require. 
 
 The Proofs of Religion, both natural and 
 revealed, all Men /hould be taught, and efpe- 
 cially at prefent, in the moft intelligible and 
 convincing Manner. As for the Objections 
 againfr cither : fuch as it may be fuppofed 
 they have thought or heard of, (hould be 
 
 diftindly-
 
 Jirjl Charge to his Cl e R G v. 21 
 
 diftindly anfweredi but the reft obviated only 
 as Occafion oiFcrs. For to enter into them 
 farther, would be mllpending Time. Next 
 to the Truth of Religion, they fliould have 
 its Importance laid before them. The Ne- 
 ceflity of a moral Life mod Men will own 
 in general Terms: only what they are 
 pleafed to call fo, is often a very immoral 
 one, both with Refpedl to their Fellow- Crea- 
 tures and the Government of themfelvcs. But 
 Regard to Piety is ftrangely loft, even amongft 
 Perfons, that are otherwife tolerably ferious. 
 Many have laid afide all Appearances of it j 
 and others, who would feem to keep them 
 up, do it with evident Marks of Indifference 
 and Contempt. It fhould therefore be in- 
 duftrioufly ftiewn and inculcated, that an in- 
 ward Senfe of Love and Duty to God, 
 founded on juft Conceptions of him, and 
 exprcfiing itfelf in frequent Ads of Worfhip, 
 conftant Obedience and Refignation to him, 
 is in Truth thefirjl and great Comwa}idme?jt^^ 
 the principal and moft important of moral 
 Obligations. But then, befides thofe In- 
 flances of Piety, which Reafon requires of 
 
 ^ Matt. xxii. 3S» 
 
 B 3 us,
 
 22 TbeBIJ/jopofOxTOTMi^s 
 
 us, there are others, founded on Relations 
 equally real, and confequentlydeferving equal 
 Regard, enjoined by Revelation. The utmofl 
 Care therefore ought to be ufed, confidering 
 the prefent Difpofition of the World, to con- 
 vinceMenof what Moment theDodrines and 
 'Duties of the Gofpel are. To make Reafon 
 fufficient for Nothing in Religion is, to over- 
 ^ turn every Thing. But to infill on its Infuffici- 
 ency for many mod valuable Purpofes, which 
 Revelation is fully fufficient for, and on the 
 Neceffity of obferving whatever God hath 
 thought fit to command, this is doing but 
 common Juftice, though a very feafonable 
 Piece of Juftice, totheDodrineof ourBleffed 
 Saviour, and the Authority of our Maker. 
 
 When once Men are brought to under-f 
 ftand the Value ot Chriftianity, thenextThing 
 is, to give th'^m a proportionable Solicitude 
 for it : to make them obferve, how vifibly the 
 Belief and P: adice of it decay, and howdread- 
 ful the Confequences muft be, and are : to fliew 
 them, that Religion is not the Concern of the 
 Clergy merely, but the common Concern of 
 All Men; the great Thing, on which public 
 and private Happinefs depends in this Life, as 
 
 weH
 
 Jirfi Charge to bis Clie.KG\\ 23 
 
 well as eternal Felicity In the next : that 
 therefore, if they have any Value for thefe im- 
 portant Interefts, they muft take the neceflliry 
 Means of fecuring them: their Children, 
 their Servants and Dependants muft be dili- 
 gently watched over and inftruded; private 
 Devotion muft be pradifed, Family-WorHiip 
 revived, and the Service of God in the 
 Church regularly and ferioufly attended upon. 
 For laying afide thefe Things hath almoft ba- 
 niflied Religion from amongft us : and No- 
 thing, but reftoring them, can bring it back. 
 Piety is indeed feared in the Heart : but to 
 give it no Vent in outward Expreffion, is to 
 flifle and extinguifh it. Neglecting the pub- 
 lic Exercife of Religion, is deftroying the 
 public Regard to it : and teaching Men to 
 defpife their own Form of Religion, is 
 enough very often to make them defpife it 
 under any Form. 
 
 Great Pains have been taken by our Ad- 
 verfaries to give the Vs^orld an ill Opinion of 
 religious Inftrudion: and we muft take equal 
 Pains to give them a good one of itj by re- 
 prefenting to them, both the natural Influence 
 ir hath, and the divine Authority that enjoins 
 
 B J. it,
 
 2 4- ^^e BiJ}:op of Ox FOR D'i 
 
 it. But after all, the only effedual Convidloii 
 will be that of Experience. And therefore 
 the chief Point is, endeavour that Men 
 may feel the Benefit of our teaching : feel at 
 leaft, that it is their own Fault, not ours, if 
 they do not become the wifer, the better and 
 happier for it. To this End, we muft all dwell 
 pfcen and ftrongly pn the great Duties, and 
 great Failures of Duty in common Life: firft 
 explaining the Obligations of Religion fo as 
 that they may be pradifed ; then infixing ori 
 it, that they muft : entering into the Particu- 
 lars of each with fuch Plain nefs, that every 
 one may clearly fee his own Faults laid before 
 him; yet with fuch Prudence, that no one 
 may fo much as imagine himfelf perfonally 
 pointed at : and taking the flridefl: Care, that 
 no Part of what we fay may feem in the Icafl 
 to proceed from our own Paffions, or our own 
 Interefts; but all appear evidently to flow from 
 a true Concern for the Good of thofe that hear 
 us. Diligent Confideration, what our Subjed 
 and our feveral Charaders will bear us out in, 
 puft dired us, when to give our Judgment 
 with Diffidence, when to lay Strefs upon it; 
 
 in
 
 frjl Charge to hi s Clergy. 2j 
 
 in what Cafes to exhort ivith all Loiig-fuffer^ 
 ing " ', in what, to rebuke with all Authority K 
 But whichfoeverwe do, neither our Language 
 fhonld be florid, nor our Manner theatrical : 
 for thcfe Things only raife an ufelefs Admira- 
 tion in weak Perfons, and produce great Con- 
 tempt in judicious ones. Nor yet on the other 
 Hand, fliould our Expreflions be mean, or 
 our Behaviour lifelefs : but both mufl: be 
 fuitable to the Employment we are upon j 
 both befuch as come naturally from the Heart 
 of the Speaker, and therefore will naturally 
 move that of the Hearer. 
 
 To this our public Teaching it will be a 
 great Help, and indeed a valuable Part of it, 
 if we perform the feveral Offices of our ex- 
 cellent Liturgy devoutly and properly : neither 
 with an irreverent Precipitation, nor a tedi^ 
 ous Slownefs: neither in a f^at and languid 
 Manner, nor yet with an affedtcd LivelinefSj 
 or a Vehemence ill-placed or over-done: but 
 lb as may be ft exprefs the Senfe and the Im- 
 portance of what we read j and, by (hewing 
 pur own Atteution to it, engige that of all 
 around us. 
 
 • 2 Tim. iv, 2ft fTit. ii. 15. 
 
 Befides
 
 2.' 
 
 .6 ^'he Brfiop of Oxford's 
 
 BeCidcs our general Inftrudions, it is very 
 needful, th:it we give the Youth under our 
 Care, in particular, an early Knowledge and 
 Love of Religion, that may abide with them: 
 and fcard the Trials, to which thtir riper 
 Years vAll of CouiTe be expofed. I hope you 
 sre all diligent in that mofl ufeful Work of 
 Catechizing ; and have done your utmofi: to 
 prepare for Confirmation, thofe whom you 
 prefent to me. And 1 earneftly recommend it 
 to you, that the good Impreffions, which 
 rnay well be fuppcfed to have been made upon 
 their Minds at this Seafon, be not fufFcred to 
 wear off again; but be improved into fettled 
 Habits of Religion and Virtue, by ftill far- 
 ther Exhortations, and leading them, as foon 
 ?s poflible, to the Holy Communion. But 
 though all the Youth deferve our peculiar 
 Attention i yet if any of them be educated in 
 Charity-Schocis under our Infpedion, for 
 theie we flipuld think ourfelves f^ill more 
 nearly concerned, than for the reft; and, by 
 fird taking Care, to have them taught what- 
 ever is proper, and Nothing elfe, then making 
 linovvn the good Management they are under, 
 put an End to thofe Acquiations, of their 
 
 learnini^
 
 Jirfl Charge to bis Clergy. 27 
 
 learning Tdlenefs and Pride, Superftition and 
 Pilloyaityj which may have bcen,fometimes 
 one of them, fometimes another, in fome 
 Pegree deferved ; but have been carried with 
 ^ wicked Indaftiy mofi: (hamefully beyond 
 Truth, and lefl'ened the Credit of this ex- 
 cellent Inftitution, even with many good 
 Perfons, to the great Detriment of Chrifr 
 tianity. 
 
 Another very ufeful Method of fpreading 
 the Knowledge of Religion, and teaching 
 Men a ferious Regard to it, is by diftributing, 
 or procuring to be diftributed, fuch pious 
 Books, efpecially to the poorer Sort, as are 
 befl fuited to their Capacities and Circum- 
 ftances. For there is great Variety of them 
 to be had : and at fo very low Prices, that 
 much Good may be done this Way to con-» 
 fiderable Numbers at once, in a mofl accept^ 
 able Manner, for a trifling Expence. 
 
 But Nothing will contribute more to make 
 pur public Inftru^ftions effectual, than private 
 Converfation, direded with prudence to the 
 fame End. The better we are known to Per- 
 fons, the greater Influence we may hope to 
 Jiave upon them : and the better we know 
 
 them.
 
 2 8 ^he Bijhop of Ox for d's 
 
 them, the more didindly we fliall fee how tQ 
 make Ufe of that Influence to good Purpoles. 
 By reprefcnting proper Truths, at fit Times, 
 with a modeO: Fieedom, we may very much 
 abate the Prejudices of Men, who have any 
 Fairnefs remaining, both againft Religion and 
 ourfelves : at leaft we may prevail on them, 
 for the Sake of pubh'c Order, and Example, 
 to keep within the Bounds of Decency j and 
 fo prevent their doing Harm, if we cannot 
 make them Good, Perfons, that err in par- 
 ticular Points of Do6lrine, friendly Difcourfe 
 may {liew us what led them into their Miftakes, 
 and enable us to lead them out again. Such 
 as difTentfrom our Church Government and 
 Worfliip, talking amicably with them, and 
 "behaving in the fame Manner towards them, if 
 it doth not immediately bring them over, may 
 however bring them nearer to us, both in 
 Judgment and Affedion. Such as are faulty 
 in their moral Conducljferious and afFcdionate 
 Remonftrances, given in private and kept pri- 
 vate, and joined with a Tendernefs to their 
 Characters in public, may often do a great 
 deal towards reforming them j and fooneror 
 later, the Seed thus fown may fpring up in their 
 
 Hearts^
 
 firjl Charge to his CLV.Yt.cY» 2^ 
 
 Hearts,and produce happy Fruits. WerhouKl 
 not indeed prels upon perfons, when there is n^) 
 other Prolpeift than that of provoking ihem: 
 butwe ought to watch allOpportunIties,whilfl: 
 there is any Hope left; and not only make it 
 our Endeavour to convert the Miftaken and 
 Vicious, but flir up the Negligent to ferious 
 Thought, and the Good themfelves to more 
 eminent Goodnefs. Efpeciallyfuch Per fens of 
 Rank and influence, as we find well difpofcd, 
 thefe we mud earneftly excite to appear and 
 give Countenance to the Caufe of Religion-, 
 ever remembering that awful Declaration of 
 our Blefled Lord: Whofoe'verfiall be afJoamed of 
 vie and of my Words in this adtdtcrous ayidfin- 
 fid Genera tic7i, of him alfojhallthe Son of Man 
 be afJjamed^ 'when he ccmethin the Glory of his 
 Father y n^ith the holy Angels ^ We muft con- 
 vince them of the urgent Neceflity there is, 
 for interpofing in Behalf of Piety and Virtue; 
 and (ug'^td to them the Means for engaging 
 with Succefs in this excellent Employment. 
 Yet muft we never fpcnd fo much of our At- 
 tention on the higher Part of the World, as 
 
 tMark viii. 3t. 
 
 to
 
 30 The Bifiop of Oxfords 
 
 to give the lead Sufpicion of negleding tne 
 lower; whofe Number is io much larger, 
 vvhofe Difpofitions are ufually fo much more 
 favourable to Religion, and whofe eternal Hap- 
 pinefs is of equal Importance to Them, and 
 ought to be of equal Concern to Us : but we 
 muft prove we are in earneft in our Work, 
 by making it our Care, as it was our Ma- 
 iler's, that the Poor have the Go/pel preached to 
 them^. And one Opportunity of preach- 
 ing it with fingular Advantage, both to the 
 Poor and the Rich, is when Sickncfs brings 
 them, the View pf another Life. At fome near 
 to Times indeed the Sick may be incapable of 
 attending to Exhortations : at others they may 
 be endangered by them : and at all Times great 
 Prudence is requifite, to avoid the Extremes, 
 of terrifying or indulging them too much. 
 But, provided due Caution be ufed in thefe 
 Refpedts j laying before them what they ought 
 to be, and reminding them to confult their 
 ov^n Confciences what they have been, is a 
 mofi: likely Method of exciting in them fuch 
 Affections and Refolutions at that Seafon of 
 
 *Matt. xi. 5. 
 
 Recolledion
 
 Jirjt Charge to his Clergv, 3^ 
 
 Rccolledlion and Serloufnefs, as, though the 
 Bleffing of Heaven, may produce the happicfl 
 Effeds. 
 
 To thefe excellent Offices therefore we 
 muft all of us chearfully apply ourielvcs^eacli 
 in fuch Degree as his Station requires. If they 
 do require Pains, if they do take up Time, if 
 they are inconfiitent with agreeable Amufe- 
 ments, and even interrupt ufeful Studies of 
 otherKindsi yetthis is the bufinefs which we 
 have folemnly chofen, and the Vowsof God are 
 upon us : it is the moft important and m.ofl 
 honourable, it ought to be the mod: delight- 
 ful tooofallEmployments: and thereforewe 
 have every Reafjn not to feek the Means of 
 evading our Duty, but of fulfilling it; and 
 each to take the Overjtght of the Fleck of God, 
 committed to him, Jiot by conjlralnty but wil^ 
 iitigly '. For if we only juft do what we can be 
 punidied by our Superiors for neglefting, we 
 Hiufl neither expert Succefs nor Reward. 
 
 But then to fecure either, the chief Thinor 
 requifite, is flill behind : that our own Tem- 
 pers and Lives be fuch, as we fay thofe of 
 other Perfons /hould. For if we, who teach 
 
 'Pet, V. 2. 
 
 Religion,
 
 j^ 77> BiJIdop of Oxford s 
 
 Religion, live, or fuffer our Families to IIv^, 
 with little or no Senfe of Religion, what can 
 we poffibly exped, but thatMen will improve 
 fo palpable an Advantage againft us to the ut- 
 moft : will argue, that we believe not our own 
 Dodrine; and therefore it deferves no Belief: 
 or, we pradtife not our own Precepts ; and 
 therefore they cannot be pracStifed ? Thus we 
 fhall increafe that infidelity and Wickednefs, 
 which our bufinefs is to oppofe. Too much of 
 it will be really ov/ing to us : and the Whole 
 will be laid upon us. The Enemies of Religion 
 will have the beft Pretence in the World to 
 ruin us ; and the Friends of it will grow uncon- 
 cerned for us, and ready to give us up to them^ 
 But, were thefe Confequences not to follow^ 
 flill very bad ones muft follow. Men, irreli- 
 gious or vicious themfclves, cannot be hearty 
 in oppoiing Irreligion and Vice : they cannot 
 do it with Boldnefs, if they were hearty: and 
 could they be ever fo bold, it muft fit much 
 too ill upon them, to have any good Effe6t. 
 Wrong-mindedPerfonsvvillbefurnifhedwith 
 the moft plaufible Excufe imaginable for dif- 
 regarding them intirely : and the righteft- 
 minded Perfons that ever were, cannot, if 
 3 they
 
 Jirjl Charge to his Cl^^cy. 33 
 
 tbey would, regard them as they ought. This 
 will be the Cafe, even with Refpe(ft to their 
 public Teaching: and as for private Ad- 
 monitions, they will feldom have the Face to 
 venture upon them, and never fucceed in 
 them: whereas every Word, that comes 
 from an exemplary Man, hath great Weight; 
 and his bare Example is mod valuable In- 
 ftru6tion of Itfelf. But, were a bad Life not 
 to hinder at all the Succefs of our Miniftry ; 
 yet we muft remember, it will abfolutely 
 hinder the Salvation of our Souls : and fub- 
 ytSi us to that forer PmiJJmienty of which he may 
 well be thought worthy, who, teaching others^ 
 teacheth not himfelf^ but through breaking the 
 Law dij}:onoureth God^. 
 
 Nor is it fufficient by any Means for us to 
 be guilty of no Vice, This is fmall Praife, 
 for one of our Order. Wc are bound to be 
 Patterns of the mod diligent Practice of Vir- 
 tue, and the flrifteft Regard to Religion: and 
 we fliall never make others zealous for what 
 we ourfelves appear inditFercnt about. It is 
 very true, that peculiarly in our Cafe, the 
 Generality of the World both ex'pc6\ and find 
 
 >' Hcb. X. 20. Rom. ill 21, 33. 
 
 C Fault,
 
 34 ^^^ BifjGp of Oki^ord's 
 
 Fault, quite beyond Reafon: and doubtle^ 
 they are much to blame in doing (ck But 
 then furely we are no lefs to blame, if, when 
 we know the Severity, with which our Con- 
 ^ud: will be examined, we do not watch over 
 it with equal Severity ourfelves ; and take 
 the only Way to be looked on as good Men, 
 that is, being fuch undeniably. And who- 
 ever bath a due Senfcof this Obligation, will 
 confcientioufly abjiaifi^ not on\y from all Evil^ 
 but, all Appearance of it too • ^ Such a one, 
 for Inftance, far from ever offending againft 
 Temperance, will be noted tor it: and think 
 the Imputation of being mighty to drink 
 Wine^ almofl: as infamous, as that of being 
 overcome by it. Far from being guilty of 
 Indecency in his Behaviour or Difcourfe, he 
 ■will keep at a Diftance from every Thing 
 liable to the Confrrudion of it. Far frotn 
 being remarkable for Luxury and Deli- 
 cacy in his Manner of living or appear- 
 ing, he will be fure to preferve himfelf, 
 on all Occafions, at leaft as remote frorr^ 
 Indulgence, as he is from Aufterity. And 
 though he will never difguft the Perfons,, 
 
 ' iThefT. V. 22 s . ""If. V. 22. 
 
 with
 
 Jirft Charge to his Cl'E.'RGY. 35, 
 
 with whom he converles, by a Gravity 
 afFeded or ill timed: yet he will be equally 
 careful, never to expofe himfelf, by a Light- 
 nefs of Carriage unbecoming his Fundion; 
 nor let any Thing be a Part of his Character, 
 much lefs a diftinguifhing Part, that can 
 only tend to lower it. For we can never 
 be ufeful, if w« arc defpifed: and we {hall 
 be defpifed, if we w^ill give Opportunities 
 for it. Even they who feem well pleafed 
 with us will think meanly of us inwardly; 
 and perhaps of the whole Order for our 
 Sakes. 
 
 Yet at the fame Time, we (hall be greatly 
 miftaken, if we aim to avoid Contempt by 
 Haughtinefs: which will only add Hatred 
 to it. Our Rule therefore muft be, to ex- 
 prefs, in every Thing, Condefcenlion to the 
 lower Part of the World, without being im- 
 properly familiar; and Refped to the upper, 
 without being fervile: recommending our-- 
 fclves at once to the Love and EHeem of 
 both by a mild Kind of Dignity and in- 
 genuous Simplicity, kept up through our 
 whole Behaviour. Mildnefs of Temper is 
 the Duty of every A4an; but efpecially re- 
 
 C Z quired
 
 36 The Bifiop of Oxford'5 
 
 required of Us " ; and abfolutely necelTary, 
 both to our preferving Regard, and doing 
 Service in the World. Therefore, whatevei* 
 Provocations we meet with from thofe, a- 
 mongft whom we live, as indeed we often 
 meet with great ones, it neither belongs to 
 our Charadler, nor will be for our Intereft, 
 to take Offence and exprefs Refen ment; 
 but by Prudence and Patience to overcome. 
 Evil with good''. For we ihall often do it 
 this Way, and nevsr any other. Inftead of 
 being engaged in Enmities of oui own, it 
 . Should be our Endeavour to compofe the 
 Differences of other Ferfcns: not by inter- 
 meddling in their Affairs, when we are not 
 called to it; but by laying hold on every fit 
 Opportunity given us, for difpofing them to 
 a mutual good Opinion, where there is Room 
 for it; or at lead to mutual Good-will. 
 Too many Occafions indeed for friendly In- 
 terpofition, our unhappy Party- Difputes 
 furnifh us with, had we no other. Entering 
 into thefe with Vehemence, and that Jnjuftice 
 which never fails to accompany Vehemence, 
 
 " Matt. X, 16, iTim.iii. 3. 2 Tim. ii. 24. •Rom 
 xii, 21,
 
 firfi Charge to his ClERGr. - ^'f 
 
 'is what all Men fliould avoid : but we, who 
 inun: caution them againft it, fhould avoid it 
 with uncommon Care: (hould religioufly 
 pay that Refpedl to every one, which is their 
 Due, efpccially to our Superiors j think well 
 of Mens Anions and Defigns, unlefs wc 
 have evident Caufe to think otherwife; 
 judge with Modefty, where perhaps we are 
 not qualified to judge; and whatever our 
 Opinion be> preferve our Behaviour inofFen« 
 five: give the lead Provocation, that may be, 
 tobad Men of any Sidej and a(ft in fuch 
 Manner, as may gain us, if pofTible, the 
 united Efteem of good Men of all Sides. 
 For theirs is the Friendfhif>, of which wc 
 ought to be ambitious. Familiarities with 
 profane and vicious Perfonsi beyond what 
 necelTary Civilityj or a real Profped of re- 
 forming them requires^ will, whatever we 
 may promife ourfelves from their Favour or 
 Intereft, always difcredit and weaken us in 
 general; and much oftener prove hurtful, 
 than advantageous, to any of us in particular. 
 But to cultivate the gojd Opinion of the 
 wife and virtuojSj to recommend ourfelves 
 to their Protedion, and, whatever elfe they 
 
 C 3 m*y
 
 J 
 
 1% ' ^be Blfiop of Oxford's 
 
 may differ about, engage their common Zeal 
 in the common Caufe of Religion ; this will 
 procure us both Security and Honour, and 
 every Way promote the great Defign of our 
 Piofeffion, 
 
 Another Point, on which our Charader 
 will not a Httle depend, is our being, in a 
 reafonable Degree, difinterefted. A very large 
 Proportion indeed of the Clergy have too 
 much Caufe to endeavour at bettering their 
 Circumftances : and it is barbarous Treat- 
 ment, to accufe them for it, inftead of pity- 
 ing them. But over-great Solicitude and 
 Contrivance for advancing ourfelves will 
 always make Impreffions to our Prejudice, 
 let our Condition be ever fo low: though 
 defervedly much ftronger Impreffions, in 
 Proportion as it is higher. We fhall be 
 thought to have no Attention, but that, of 
 which we difcover too much : and the Truth 
 i J, we cannot ferve two Majlers ^. Nor will 
 it be fufficient, that we avoid the Charge of 
 immoderately defiringmore; unlefs we avoid 
 alfo that of Selfifhnefs, in the Management 
 t)f what we have already r a Matter, in which 
 
 ' Matthr vi. 24. i 
 
 it
 
 firjl Charge to bis Clergv. 39 
 
 it is very difficult, and yet very important, 
 to give no offence. We are bound, both to 
 thofe who belong to us, and thofe who ihall 
 conne after us, to take a proper Care of our 
 legal Dues: and prefcrve them faithfully 
 from the Encroachments of fuch, as tell us 
 Very truly, that we ought not to be worldly- 
 minded J but forget, what is equally true, that 
 they themfelves ought not to be fo. But 
 then the ftrongeft Reafbns of all Kinds oblige 
 us, never to make unjufi: or litigious Claims; 
 never to do any Thing, either hard and 
 rigorous, or mean and fordid : to (htvi, that 
 we defirc always the moft eafy and amicable 
 Method of ending Difputes j and whatever 
 Method we may be forced to take, never to 
 let any Thing force us into the leaft Degree 
 of Unfairnefs, Paffion or Ill-will; but endea- 
 vour, by all Inftances of friendly Behaviour, 
 to win, if poflible, upon the Perfon we have 
 to do with; at leaH: to convince every Body 
 elfe, how very far we are from intending 
 Wrong to Him, or any one. 
 
 And Nothing will contribute more, to 
 acquit us from the Sufpicion of being felhlli 
 fn our Dealings with other Perfons ; than 
 
 C 4 approving
 
 4® 'The Bijhop of Oxford'/ 
 
 approving ourfelves charitable to the Poor I 
 a Virtue which becomes us fo extremely, 
 and is fo peculiarly expelled from us, and 
 will give us fo valuable an Influence j that 
 we fhould willingly ftraighten ourfelves in 
 almoft: any Thing befides, that to the full 
 Proportion of our Abilities, we may abound 
 in giving Alms. And together with this, 
 would we but, each in his Station, take the 
 beft Care we can to fee Juftice done them 
 in that Provifion, which the Law hath in- 
 tended for them, it would generally prove a 
 much more confiderable Benefadion, than 
 all that we are able to beftow on them of 
 our own. 
 
 To the above-mentioned Inftances of right 
 Condudt we muft always add, what will 
 
 render them very engaging, the occafional 
 
 kind Offices of good Neighbourhood ; with a- 
 
 decent Hofpitality alfo, if our Circumflances 
 
 will permit it: and then, notwithftandlng 
 
 the Cenfures of thofe, who complain that we 
 
 are of little Ufe, and endeavour to make us of 
 
 noDCi we may furely well hope to do Service 
 
 to God, and be efteemed of Men: efpecially 
 
 if, together with fo exemplary a Behaviour 
 
 towards
 
 Jitjl Charge to his Cl-ergy. 41 
 
 towards others, we are fiiendly and com- 
 panionate, candid and equitable amongn: 
 ourfelves. 
 
 Great Injuftice, I am fatisfied, is done us 
 on this Plead : and many groundlefs Accu- 
 lations brought confidently againft us, by 
 Perfons, who neither enquire into Fadts, nor 
 confider Circumftances. But there are few 
 Things, in which it concerns us more, to 
 clear ourklves where we are innocent, and 
 to amend ourfelves where we are faulty. 
 For fo long as we are thought in the World, 
 either infolent to our inferior Brethren in 
 general, or void of Generolity and Pity to 
 iuch of them as we employ ; we muft net 
 expc(5l to receive better Treatment, than we 
 are underllood to give. And if we arc 
 believed to be chargeable^ beyond other 
 Men, with mutual Bitternefs and Vehemence, 
 when any Kind of Controverfy rifes amongft 
 us ; this too Is a Charader, {o very different 
 from that which ought to be ours, that the 
 utmoft Care fliould be taken to guard againft 
 it. Not that we are obliged, either to fpeak 
 of or behave to men of bad Lives, or bad 
 Principles, as if they were ^^ood ones, be- 
 
 caufe
 
 42 ' ^e BtpOp of OXTOKD^S 
 
 caufe unhappily-they belong to our Orr^erV 
 Making no Diftindion would be on all Ac- 
 Counts wrong: and making a proper Diftinc- 
 tionwill be very ufeful. But then v/e fhould 
 never think worfe of our Brethren, than 
 Evidence forces us ; never pubHfirj our ill 
 Opinion, without lufficient Reafon -, nor ex- 
 ceed, when we do publifh it, the Bounds of 
 Moderation : we Qiould be ready to fhew 
 them all fitting Kindnefs, even v/hilft they 
 continue blameable; and receive them back 
 with the moft charitable Tendernefs, when 
 they return to their Duty. For there is no 
 Manner of Need, that we (hould give either 
 fo much Advantage or fo much Pleafure to 
 the Adverfaries of Religion, as to let them 
 fee thofc, who fhould be the Joint-defenders 
 of it, engaged in domeftic Wars : and 
 bringing fuch Charges, and raifing fuch Pre- 
 judices, one againft another, that it is hard 
 to fay, whether believing or difbelieving our 
 mutual Accufations will make the World 
 think worfe of us. Our bleffed Lord there- 
 fore, after reminding his Difcipies, that fbey 
 ipere the Salt of the Earth ; were defigned, 
 by the Purity of their Dodlrine and Ex- 
 ample,
 
 firfl Charge to his Clergy. 43 
 
 ample, to keep others from Corruption; 
 
 and after giving them that prophetic 
 
 Warning, that we fliall find Men zealous 
 
 to fulfil, that if the Salt ha'ucjo/i its Savour ^ 
 
 it Jhall be cajl out and trodden under Foot '^-y 
 
 refuming the fame Figure at another Time, 
 
 concludes his Exhortation thus. Have Salt 
 
 in purfehesy and have Peace one 'with ano" 
 iher ^ 
 
 To thefe Things, Brethren, If we have 
 any Concern for the Interefls of Reh'gion or 
 our own, we muft always induftriouHy at- 
 tend; but efpecially in fuch Times, as by no 
 Means admit of Negligence or Mifmanage- 
 ment. Yet vain will k<\ix bed Endeavours be, 
 unlefs we conltantly add to them our fervent 
 Prayers, that God would enable and ftrength- 
 en, both Us, and all that ferve him in the 
 Gofpel of his Son, to perform our Duty with 
 Faithfulnefs and Succefs. For nsje are not 
 fufficient to think any T^hing of curjehes : cur 
 Sufficiency is of God\ What therefore wc 
 ought, every one of us, to beg of him at all 
 Times, let us all at prefcnt jointly addrefs to 
 
 * Mattb. V. 1 3. - Mark \x. 50. » z Cor. iii. 5. 
 
 him
 
 44 1'^^ Bijhop of Oxford's Chargty &c. 
 
 him for, in the comprehenfive and cxprefiive 
 Words of our public Service. 
 
 Ahnighty and e'verJaJIing God, by ivhofe Spirit 
 the ii'hole Body of the Church is governed 
 and fanSlified-y receive our Supplications 
 and Prayers, ivhich we offer before thee 
 
 for allEJiafes of Men in thy holy Church; 
 that every Member of tly: fame, in his VO' 
 cation and Minifry, may truly and godly 
 
 ferve thee, through our Lord and Saviour 
 Jefus Chrifl, Amen \ 
 
 * Second Collcfl for Gsod Friday, 
 
 A CHARGE
 
 A 
 
 CHARGE 
 
 DELIVERED TQ THE 
 
 CLERGY of the Piocess 
 
 OF 
 
 OXFORD, 
 
 la the Yeah i74i«
 
 'Reverend Brethren^ 
 
 W HE N I had fir/l the Pleafure of 
 meeting you, being very much ^ 
 Stranger, I could only lay before 
 you fuch general Admonitions as appeared tQ 
 be feafonable in this unhappy Age of Irre- 
 ligion and Libertjnifm. But having now 
 obtained a fuller Acquaintance with Things, 
 chiefly from your Anfwers to my printed 
 Enquiries, which have given me many Rea- 
 fons to cfleem and refpedt you; I fliall at 
 prcfent deicend into fome farther Particulars: 
 and considering you, not merely as Minifters 
 of the Gofpel at large, but as Miniders of 
 the feveral Pariflies in which you officiate, 
 remind you ot fome plain Diredions for 
 your doing it more fuccefsfully : which \ 
 4hall deliver with lefs Diffidence, and you 
 will receive with greater Regard, for their 
 being chiefly fuch as have been often rccom- 
 2 mended
 
 48 Hoe BiJ].->Gp of Oxford'! 
 
 mended with good Effcdt on fuch Occafions 
 
 a? this. 
 
 I begin with one of the loweft in Appear- 
 ance, but not the lead important of ecclcii- 
 aftical Employments: Catechizing the Chil- 
 dren under your Care. 
 
 The Catechifm coniifts of the fundamental 
 Articles of Chriftian Faith and Pradlice. 
 Without learning thefe we know not fo much 
 as what it is we profefs to be ; and there is 
 great Danger that unlefs Perfons learn them 
 at firft, they will never learn them thoroughly : 
 but only pick up from what they hear or 
 read, unconnected and fometimes ill grounded 
 Notions, that will never unite into a com- 
 plete or a confident Form of found Doc- 
 trine : as I apprehend we have had too much 
 Experience. The Rubric therefore requires, 
 that every Ferfon learn the Catechifm before his 
 Cc?ifir?natic72 : and the 59th Canon, that every 
 Incumbent jhall examine and infirucl the yGung 
 and ignorant of his Parifh in it for half an 
 Hour or more tvery Sunday. Every fecond 
 Sunday had been appointed before ; but that 
 J fuppofe was judged afterwards infufficient. 
 Not that a firidt Obferv^ition of this Rule was 
 
 probably
 
 fecond Charge ic his Clergy, 49 
 
 probably expe<fled, during the Winter Sea- 
 ion, in the Generality of Country PariHie?, or 
 where the Children being few, were more 
 eafily taught. But plainly it was intended^ 
 that how much Time foever was needful to 
 do this Work well, fliould be faithfully em- 
 ployed in it. I thank God, there are very few 
 Places in this Diocefe, and I hope there will 
 foon be none, where Catechifing is omitted. 
 But I obferve that in many it is pradtifed only 
 during Lent. Now I {hould apprehend that 
 the Summer Seafon would in general be much 
 more convenient both for the Minifter and 
 the Congregation. But at leail the Space of 
 a few Weeks is by no means fufficient to fix 
 the Knowledge of their Chriftian Duty fo 
 firmly in the Minds of young People, but 
 that in the many Months which pafs from 
 the End of one Lent to the Beginning of ano- 
 ther, a great Part of it will be to learn again. 
 Therefore whenever this Exercife is begun, 
 it fhould be continued much longer: and 
 whenever the conftant Repetition of it is left 
 off, it fhould be occafionally refumed for a 
 Sunday or two, at proper Diftances of Time. 
 
 D Another
 
 50 The BiJJjop of Oxford^ 
 
 Another Defe(fl in fome Places is, tha| 
 barely the Words of the Catechifm are taught 
 without any Expofjtioii. Now the very 
 plained Expreffions in it will need to be 
 varied into others that are equivalent : elfe 
 Children will too often learn nothing but 
 the Sound : and unlefs this Danger, which 
 is a very great one, be guarded againfl:, you 
 will have fpent both their Pains and your 
 
 own to but fmall Purpofe. Befides, all Sci- 
 ences have their Terms, which muft be in-: 
 terpreted to Beginners: and fome of thofc 
 in the Catechifm are figurative ones j very 
 prudently ufed, as they comprehend in a little 
 Compafs much Meaning, and lead to the 
 underftanding of the fanie Figures in Scrip-r 
 ture^ but undoubtedly ufed on Purpofe to be 
 explained : without which they are liable tQ 
 make cither no ImprefHon, or a wrong one. 
 And farther ftill, a Syfteni (q fhort as to be 
 learned by Heart, muft haveNeed, were itever 
 fo clear, to be enlarged on ; the Proofs of its 
 Truth, the Connexions and Tendency of it^ 
 Do6liines, the Ufe and Extent of its Precepts 
 to be (hewn ; and therefore fin ce the Ca-
 
 fecond Charge to his Clergy, 51 
 
 von with great Reafon enjoins, not only that 
 you examine, but inftrudt the Children in 
 their Catechifm, I hope you will think this 
 a very needful Part of that Inftrudion. As 
 to the Manner of it, that may be diiFercnt, 
 not only in different Places, but in the fame 
 at different Times. Sometimes a aintioued 
 Difcourfe of fooie Length may be requifite: 
 as it will lay before the adult Part of your 
 Parifhioners a methodical Summary of Chrif- 
 tian Dodrine; which they often want very 
 much for themfelves, and will thus be enabled 
 to teach fomething of to their Children, af- 
 ter they have heard it together from you. 
 
 Sometimes a curfory Expofition of the 
 more difficult Exprellions may deferve the 
 Preference. But afking the Children Qoefti- 
 ons, relating to each Part, and procuring them 
 to learn Texts of Scripture confirming each, 
 will be always beneficial. The Words of 
 the Catechifm itfelf may be very ufcfuUy 
 broken into fliorter Qu^ftions and Anfwers: 
 to which others may be added out of any one 
 of the many good Expofitions that have been 
 made public. Only you fliould endeavour 
 gs foon and as much as you can to make this 
 
 D 2 a Trijil
 
 52 ^he BiJl:op of Oxford'^ 
 
 a Trial and Improvement of the Underftand^ 
 ing, as well as the Memory of young People, 
 by afking fuch Things as they fhould reply 
 to in Words of their own ; making that eafy 
 to them in every pofTiblc Way. And indeed, 
 lif many of your (^ueftions were formed to be 
 anfwered merely by affirming or denying, it 
 would be a very good Metbod; and there 
 is an Expofition drawn up in that Manner^ 
 
 I am fenfible that fome Clergymen are uni» 
 happily obliged to fcrvetwoChurchesthefame 
 Afternoon : who may therefore plead, that 
 they have fcarce ever Time to hear the ChiU 
 dren repeat their Catechifm, much lefs to ex- 
 plain it to them. And God forbid that any 
 iieedlefs Addition fhould ever be made to 
 their Burthen. But as I am fure they will be 
 dellrous of doing what ' they are able, in a 
 Matter of this Importance, fo I fhould hope 
 that in the longer Days,' at each of their 
 Churches alternatelyj they might hear the 
 Catechifm repeated one Sunday, and expouncj 
 jpart of another, or bear only Part of it re- 
 peated, and expound that, or find fome Way 
 to prevent the intire Omiflion of fo neceffarya 
 puty. And if thefe can do any Thing of this 
 ^ ' ' KindV
 
 fecond Charge to his Clergy. 53 
 
 kind, there is no Doubt but others may eaiily 
 do more. 
 
 But a farther Hindrance which I fear you 
 complain of too juftly is, that Parents and 
 Mafters are negligent in fending their Chil- 
 dren and Servants j and the latter efpecially 
 are both unwilling and often afliamed to come. 
 Now the Canon doth indeed make Provifion 
 for punifliing fuch. But perfuading them 
 would be much happier. And furely in fo 
 clear a Cafe, well timed and well judged 
 Arguments, if perfifted in, mud: do a great 
 deal. The Example of their Equals or their 
 Betters, if you have any under yoiir Care 
 that are wife enough to fet a good one ; or 
 however that of your own Families, may help 
 very much : and fuch little Rewards of good 
 Books, or other Encouragements as you can 
 give or procure for them, it may be hoped, 
 will completely prevail with them. Atleaft 
 fuch as think they are either too old or too 
 confiderable to fay theCatechlfm themfelves, 
 tnay be greatly improved by hearing others 
 repeat, and you explain it. 
 
 But in fome few Places it is pleaded, that 
 the Children cannot read, and their Parents 
 
 t) 3 either
 
 j;4 ^'heBiJIjGpofOxtov.T>*s 
 
 cither cannot or will not get them taught, 
 and therefore the Foundation for their learn- 
 ing the Catechifm is wanting. But fu rely 
 fome Perfon might be found, within a mo- 
 derate Diftance from every Place, to whom 
 Parents might be induced, at leaft if fome- 
 thing were contributed towards it, to fend 
 their Children tp be intruded thus far. Or 
 at the worft, they who cannot read might 
 eafily by Degrees karn fo much as the Cate- 
 chifm by Heart : efpecially as the three main 
 Parts of it are in every £unday*s Prayers. 
 The Incapacity of reading was almoft ge- 
 neral at the Time of the Reformation : yet 
 even in thofe Days the Clergy were able to 
 teach firfl Parents and Houfholders, then 
 by their Means Children and Servants, the 
 Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Com- 
 mandments : and afterwards the reft of the 
 Catechifm. Now fmce that grofs Darknefs 
 hath beenfo far enlightened, it cannot be im- 
 practicable to difpel the Remains of it. 
 
 Afterduelnftrudlion follows Confirmation: 
 an Appointment derived down from Apof- 
 tolical Pradice I andoffuch acknowledged 
 Ufefulnefs, that in the Times of Confufion, a 
 
 hundred
 
 fecohd Charge to his Clergy. 55 
 
 hundred Years ago, when Bifliops were re- 
 jeAf^d, fome of their AdVerfaries took upon 
 them to perform this Part of their Function : 
 and within thefe few Years the Church of 
 Geneva hath reftored it in the beft Manner 
 their Form of Church Government will ad- 
 mit, and added an Office for it to their Litur- 
 gy. In our own Church the ancient Efteem 
 of this Inftitution is, generally fpeaking, {^^ 
 Well preferved, that I hope the Defire of being 
 confirmed may not a little ftrengthen that of 
 being inftrufted, as the only Way to it. And 
 yet I muft obferve, that the Numbers from 
 fome Pari(hes have been in Proportion very 
 fmalL This may not have arifen from any 
 Negledt in the Minifter: but as it ought to 
 incline meto make the Opportunities of Con- 
 firmation as convenient as I am able; fo it 
 ought to incline you, agreeably to the Nature 
 of your Fundion,and the exprefs Diredlionof 
 the 6 1 ft Canon, to ufe your beft Endeavours, 
 that your Pariftiioners may gladly take thofe 
 Opportunities. Yet 1 muft entreat you 
 to endeavour at the fame Time, that none be 
 brought, but thofe who, to fpeak in the 
 Language of the Rubric, are come to Tears 
 
 D4 of
 
 56 The B'ljljop o/OxTo'RDs 
 
 cfDifcreiion^ who have learned , not the Words 
 only, but in a competent Degree, the Meaning 
 of what was promifed for them in Baptifmj 
 who can fay with Serioufnefs and Truth, (what 
 furely t\{t they ought not to hy at all,) that 
 in the Prefence of God and the Congregation they 
 ratify and confirin the fame in their own Per^ 
 fons\ and who therefore are likely to have 
 ufeful and lading Impreffions made on them 
 by this Solemnity. Undoubtedly fome ar- 
 rive at this Capacity fooner than others, and 
 therefore I have mentioned the Age of Four- 
 teen, not with a Defign of abfulutely tying 
 you down to it; -but as being, for the mofl 
 part, full early enough ; and that, where you 
 fee it rcquiiitej you may, without giving Of- 
 fence yourfelves, oppofe my Order to the in- 
 difcrect Forwardnefs of Parents; whom how- 
 ever, 1 hope, it will make eafy, to allure 
 them, as 1 give you Authority, that fo long 
 as it plcafes God to continue my Health and 
 Strength, Cdnfirmations fliall be frequent in 
 every Part of this Diocefe. I muft alfo de- 
 lire that you will carefullyinftrudlthofewhom 
 ydu do bring, in the whole Nature of the In- 
 
 « 
 
 fetation and particularly in this, amongfl: 
 
 other
 
 fecond Charge to his Clergy. ^j 
 
 other more important Points, that they are 
 never to beconfirmedany more than baptized 
 a fecond Time: that you will dircdt them to 
 make the proper Anfwers audibly through the 
 Whole of the Office, which many of them 
 feem to have no Notion of, though it is To 
 necelTary in the Nature of the Thing, and 
 tends fo much both to fix their Attention, and 
 to give the Solemnity a decent and edifying 
 Appearance. You v^^ill caution them like\vife 
 not to crowd forward and incommode each 
 other, ufmg this Argument for one, that the 
 whole Number who come in at the fame 
 Time, will be difmifled at the fame Time 
 alfo: and laftly you will prefs it flrongly 
 upon their Minds, that what they promife at 
 their Confirmation, they are to remember and 
 keep to their Lives End. I have already de- 
 liredof you, onthefe Occafions, a Liftof fucli 
 as you judge qualified j that fothe Numbers 
 and Perfons may be known: of this you 
 would do well to keep a Copy youi felves,and 
 if it were written alphabetically, both you 
 and 1 fliould be able to confult it upon the 
 Spot more eafily. For the abovementioned 
 Canon, the 6 iff, plainly direds your Attend- 
 ance
 
 58 ^he Bijhop of Oxford*^ 
 
 ance along with your Pahrhioners; totaled 
 efpecial Care ^for (o the Words run) that 
 7ione be prefentedhiU fuch as you knolu are Jit • 
 And as your being preft nt to approve or dif- 
 approve muft needs increafe your Influence 
 and Authority amongft your People j itmuft 
 likewile make the Difcharge of my Duty fo 
 very much eafierand more ufeful^ that 1 beg 
 you will never let me be vi'ithout your Af- 
 fiflance in this Work, as you (hall never 
 be without mine in any Thing. And for 
 this Purpofe when Confirmations are on a 
 Sunday, which is the Time I fhali ufually 
 pitch upon, for the Convenience of the Peo- 
 ple, excepting at the Places of my Vifitation> 
 you may omit for that Day the Morning or 
 the Evening Prayers as you fee Occafion. I 
 have not indeed hitherto been able to eiFed:, 
 what would greatly fliorten your Labour, 
 calling up your feveral Parifhes in their Order 
 fepar?rtely. But I (hall be very glad to do it, 
 as foon as ever you can introduce this Order 
 amongft them, which I earneftly recommend 
 to you: and I hope a continued Frequency 
 of Confirmations will foon make that fea- 
 fible without Difficulty here, which is now 
 3 pradifed
 
 Jecond Charge to his Clergy. 59 
 
 pradifed conftantly In the populous Cities of 
 London and WejlminfUr, 
 
 From Confirmation Perfons ought to be 
 led on, if poflible, before the Impreilions of 
 it are much weakened, to the holy Sacra- 
 ment: and it is one material Reafon why 
 Confirmation fhould not be too early, that 
 with a little farther Inflrudion given foon 
 after it, you may eafily bring them, fuch as 
 they ought to be, to the Lord'sTable: which 
 mayprove a much harder Matter, when once 
 they have been a good While out of your 
 Hands. The fmall Proportion of Commu- 
 nicants which I find there is in moil of your 
 Congregations, and very fmall in fcjir.e, inuft 
 undoubtedly (as this Ordinance is appointed 
 for all Chriflians, and for a ftanding Means 
 of Grace to all) be a Subjedt of very great 
 Concern to you. And though it is too true, 
 that the Generality of the World, and per- 
 haps the lower Sort beyond others, are in- 
 credibly obftinatc in their Prejudice?, efpecially 
 in fuch as »t all favour corrupt Nature: yet 
 our complaining of thefc Prejudices is not 
 enough; but labouring to overcome them is 
 our Bufmels, and we are not to grow weary 
 
 of
 
 66 ^II' Bij7jop cf Oxford's 
 
 of it. Some imagine that the Sacrament' 
 belongs only to Perions of advanced Years'; 
 Or gfeat Leifure, or high Attainments in Re- 
 ligion, and is a very dangerous Thing for 
 common Perfons to venture upon. Some 
 figain difregard it flupidly, becaufe others,* 
 they fay, who do receive, are never the better 
 for it; or becaufe their Friends before them^ 
 or their Neighbours about them never re- 
 ceived at all;; or not till fuch an Age: and 
 why fhould they? You will therefore re- 
 prefent to them, that whoever receives 
 without Benefit, it is his own Faulty and 
 that how many foevcr omit it either for Part 
 of their Lives or the Whole, not their Ex*^ 
 ample but the Word of Godj is the Rule for 
 Chriflians: that far from being a terrible or 
 enlnaring Inftitution, it is in Reality a moft 
 gracious one: defigned to be celebrated 
 with Humility indeed, but with Comfort and 
 Joy: that all the Preparation it requires is 
 within the Reach of the plaineft Head and 
 the moft laborious Hand, provided there be 
 only an honeft and pious Heart: and that 
 the Judgment v/hich unworthy Receivers eat 
 and drink to ihemfelves, needs no more af- 
 fright
 
 fdcond Charge to his Clergy. 6f 
 
 fright thofe whom God in his Mercy will 
 confider as worthy ; as he certainly will every 
 true Penitent; than the capital Punilhments, 
 threavened by the Law to Crimes, make 
 innocent Perfonsunealy: that he whofe Life 
 iinfits him for the Sacrament, is unfit for 
 the Kingdom of Heaven alfo^ and he, who 
 being qualitied for it, negledis it, neglcvfis ^ 
 dying Command of his Lord and Saviour, 
 intended for the greatefl G' iod to him. But 
 your pubhc Inftru6lions on this Head will be 
 much more effedtual for being followed by 
 feafonable private Applications ; in which 
 you will hear and anfvver their Objedions, bs 
 they of ever fo little Weight, with great 
 Meeknefs -, not be provoked by any Perverfe- 
 nefs of theirs to fhew Anger, but only a 
 friendly Concern ; and even if you meet with 
 an abfolute Repulfe, leave them with an 
 AfTurance that you fhall apply to them agaiq, 
 in Hopes that God will have difpofed them 
 better to obey his Precepts. 
 
 But befides incrcafing the Number of your 
 Communicants, it were very defirable, that 
 they who do communicate fliould do it more 
 frequently. In the three firft Centuries the 
 
 Eucharift
 
 6i The Bifiop of OxfordV 
 
 Euchariil was every where celebrated weekly, 
 and in mmy Places almoft daily. Decay of 
 Piety occafioned an Iniundion in the Sixth, 
 that every Chriftian fhould receive thrice in 
 the Year ; which was reduced in the Thir- 
 teenth, perhaps with a bad Intention, to 
 once. Our Church requires thrice at the 
 Icaji : which evidently implies, that more 
 than thrice is hoped for. And indeed each 
 Perfon will fcarce be able to communicate fo 
 often unlefsthe Communion be adminiftered 
 oftener. But befides, it is appointed to be 
 every Lord's Day in Cathedral and Colle- 
 giate Churches, and Part of the Office for 
 it is read every Lord's Day in every Church, 
 for an Admonition of what it were to be 
 wifhed the People could be brought to. 
 This indeed at bell: mud be a Work pf 
 Time; but one Thing might be done at 
 prefent in all your PariOies, as God be 
 thanked, it is in mofl of them : a Sacrament 
 might eafily be interpofed in tjiat long \n- 
 terval between Wbitfuntide and Chrijlmas : 
 and the ufual Seafon for it, about the Feaft 
 pf St, Michael, (when your People having 
 gathered in the Fruits of the Earth have 
 
 fome
 
 fecond Charge to his Clergy. 63 
 
 fome Reft from their Labours, and muft 
 furely feel fome Gratitude to the Giver of 
 all Good) is a very proper Time. And if afr 
 terwards you can advance from a quarterly 
 Communion to a monthly one, I make ng 
 Doubt but you will. 
 
 Upon this Subjedt I muH: obferve to you 
 farther, that though in one or two Paridies 
 of this Diocefe the old Cuftom is retained, 
 of Dblp.t:ons for the Minifter, as well as 
 Alms for the Poor^ to both which the Sen- 
 tences appointed to be read are plainly 
 adapted: yet in many Parifhes there is no 
 Offertory at all : though it be certainly a 
 fradice of primitive Antiquity, a mofl: pro- 
 per Admonition and Specimen of Charity; 
 which I fear the Generality of Chriftians 
 much want to be reminded ofj a moft 
 feafonable Demonftration of our loving our 
 Brethren for his Sake, who hath loved us; 
 and a Thing exprefsly enjoined in the Ru- 
 bric of the Communion OfBce. Why 
 therefore fhould you not attempt to revive, 
 it, where it hath been intermitted? Merely 
 prefenting to Perfons an Opportunity of 
 giving, if they tjiink fit, and only what they 
 
 think
 
 6^ J' he Bijlcp of Oxford's 
 
 think fit, can furely (if the Reafons of it be 
 explained to them beforehand) never keep 
 any one away from the Sacrament. But 
 then, though all who have not abfolutely 
 Nothing, ought undoubtedly to contribute 
 their Mite, yet no difagreeable Notice (hould 
 ever be taken of any, for giving but Httleor 
 not giving at all j and whatever is colledled, 
 fhould be difpofed of, fo that all Perfons may 
 know it, with the greateft Faithfulnefs, Pru- 
 dence, and Impartiality. 
 
 Another Part of Divine Worfliip, concern- 
 ing which I think it needful to fpeak, is PfaU 
 mody : a Part clearly appointed in Scrip- 
 ture, both exprellive and productive of de- 
 vout Affedions, extremely well fitted to 
 diverfify long Services, and peculiarly to 
 didinguifh the feveral Parts of our own, 
 which were originally feparate. Our cccle- 
 fiafcical F^aws do not indeed require it under 
 kny Penalty : becaufe there may not every 
 where be Perfons qualified to perform it 
 jdecently. But wherever there are, the Ru- 
 bric makes Provifion for it, and I reqom- 
 mend to you that it be not omitted. You 
 will always endeavour th^t your Parifh- 
 
 Clerks
 
 fecond Charge to hisChi.KGY, 65 
 
 Clerks be Perfons of Dlfcretion as well as 
 Skill and Serioufncfs. But however you will 
 be much furer of no Impropriety happening 
 in this Part of the Worflilp, if you either 
 dired them every Sunday to fuitable Pfalms, 
 or affign them a Courfeof fuch to go orderly 
 through. And unlcfs the generality of your 
 Parifliioners are provided with Books, and 
 able to make ufe of them 3 ordering each 
 Line to be read, will both fecure a greater 
 Number of Singers, and be very inftrudive 
 to many who cannot fing. All Perfons in- 
 deed who are by Nature qualified ought, to 
 learn, and conftantly join to glorify him 
 that made them, in Pfalms and fpiritual 
 Songs. This was the Pradice of the early 
 Chriftians : it was reftored very juftly at the 
 Reformation : and hath declined of late, 
 within mod of our Memories, very unhap- 
 pily. For the Improvements made by a 
 few in Church-Mufic, were they real Im- 
 provements, will leldom equal the Harmony 
 of a general Chorus ; in which any lefTcr 
 DiiTonances are quite loft : and it is fome- 
 thing inexpreffibly elevating, to hear the 
 Voice of a great Multitude^ as the Voice of
 
 66 7'he BiJJjop of Oxford'^ 
 
 many Waters and of mighty thunder s^ to fpeak 
 in the Words of Scripture, making a joyful 
 Noife to the God of their Salvation, ajidfnging 
 his Traifes with Under/landing. Perfons of a 
 ludicrous Turn may reprefent every Thing in 
 a wrong Light : but thofe of any Serioufnefs, 
 if they will lay afide falfe Delicacy, and 
 that prepofterous Shame of religious Perfor- 
 mances, with which the prefent Age is fo 
 fatally tainted, will find themfelves very pi- 
 oufly affeded only by hearing this Melody, 
 much more by bearing a Part in it : and 
 therefore I beg you will encourage all your 
 Parifhioners, efpecially the Youth, to learn 
 Pialmody ; and excite them, if there be 
 Need, with fome little Reward : for you 
 will thus make the Service of God abun- 
 dantly more agreeable, and their Attendance 
 on it more conflant. But then, where any 
 Knowledge of the old common Tunes re- 
 mains, you Hiould endeavour principally, 
 that your Learners may perfect themfelves in 
 ihefe J that fo they may lead and affift the 
 reft of the Congregation, who fhould al- 
 ways join with them ^ or if you muft admit 
 a Mixture of new and uncommor^ Tunes, it 
 
 (hould
 
 fecond Charge to his Clergy. 6-j 
 
 fh uld be no greater than you find yourfelves 
 in Prudence abfolutely obliged to. Elfc the 
 Confeqnence will be, what I fear many of 
 you have experienced, that tiihcr one Part 
 of your People will refent being unjuftly 
 filenced, and this by the Introdud^ion of 
 Tunes often not fo good as their former 
 ones, and fo your Paiidi will be divided and 
 uneafy : or if they agree to the Change ever 
 fo generally, and like it ever fo well, yet your 
 feleift Singers will either be weary in a While 
 of what only Novelty recommended to them, 
 or grow conceited and ungovernable, or die 
 off, or be difperfed, and the Congregation 
 will be left unable to fing in any Manner at 
 all. Where indeed the newer Tunes have 
 quite blotted out the Memory of the old 
 ones, ail you can do is, to make Ufe of what 
 you find in Ufe, to get fome of the eaficil: 
 of them learnt as generally as you can, and 
 keep to thefe. And if, in. order to inftru(ft 
 your People in either Way of Singing, Meet- 
 ings to pradife out of Chuich-time be 
 requifite, you will keep a ftridl Watch over 
 them, that they be managed with all pofilble 
 Decency, and never continued till Candlc- 
 
 E 2 I'ght,
 
 68 T^he BiJJiop o/Oxtokds 
 
 light, if they confift of both Sexes. You 
 will likewife difcountenance, at leaft, all 
 frequent Meetings, between the Singers of 
 different Parifhes, and making Appointments 
 to fing alternately at one anothers Churches : 
 for this wandering from their own, which by 
 Lawthey ought to keep to, ufually leads them 
 into ExcelTes and Follies. 
 
 I am very fenfible, thatfome of the Things 
 which I have been mentioning, are by no 
 Means of equal Importance with others. 
 But Nothing is without its Importance, that 
 relates to divine Worfhip. The mere out- 
 ward Behaviour of thofe who attend upon 
 it is of fuch Ufe, and good Influence, that I 
 muft defire you will be diligent in teaching 
 them, (but fo as to perfuade, not provoke 
 them) what Reverence belongs to the Houfe 
 of God: particularly how very wrong it is 
 to fit inftead of kneeling when they are 
 or (liould be addrefling themfelves to their 
 Maker, and to fhew how indecent that Ap- 
 pearance is of Difregard to him, which they 
 would not ufe on any Account to one of 
 their Fellow-creatures a little fuperior to 
 themfelves. If they could only breed up the 
 
 younger
 
 fecond Chargt fo/jts Clergy. 69 
 
 younger to a right Behaviour in this Rcrpe(ft, 
 your Congregations would grow regular in 
 Time. But mild Expoftulations will furely, 
 in fo plain a Cafe, produce fome Effe(fl upon 
 the reft alfo, which will be much facilitated 
 if you take Care that proper Conveniences 
 for kneeling be provided for them. And if 
 you could convince them alfo that ftanding 
 is a more reverent Pofture to fing Pfalms to 
 God in, as well as to read them, than fitting, 
 you would come fo much the nearer to the 
 Apoftolical Rule of doing all Things decently. 
 For as fome of the Pfalms contain thenobleft 
 Ads of Adoration, furely they ought not to 
 be fung in a Pofture unfit to exprefs it. 
 Another Thing, and no fmall one, which I 
 believe many of your Parifhioners often want 
 to be admoni£hed of, is to come before the 
 Service begins. Undoubtedly Allowance is 
 tobemade forneceffary, efpeciallyunforefeen, 
 Bufinefs, and fome Allowance for not know- 
 ing the Time exactly : but I hope you will 
 obviate both thefe Pleas as far as you can, 
 by confulting their Convenience in the Hour 
 you fix, and then keeping pundually to it. 
 And at the fame Time you will remind them, 
 
 E 3 that
 
 70 The Bificp of Oxford's 
 
 that a due Degree cf Zeal in Religion v/ould 
 incline them to be rather a great deal 
 too early at the Houfe of God, than a little 
 too late: that no Part of the Service can be 
 liiore' needful for them, than that which 
 comes firil ; the Confeffion of their Sins : 
 that Inftrudion in their Duty is better learnt 
 from the Pfalms and Leflbns, which are the 
 Wordof Godj than from Sermons, which are 
 only our Explanations of it: and that by 
 coming fo irregularly, they not only are great 
 Lofefs ■ themfelves, but difturb and offend 
 others. 
 
 Butitis notfufficient to give you Diredions 
 about fuch as do come to Church, without 
 taking Notice of the great Numbers which 
 I find there are in many, if not mofl:, of your 
 Pariflies, that omit coming. Now on thefe 
 your Preaching indeed can have no im.medi- 
 ate Influence. But it may however prevent 
 the Increafe of them sand furnifli others with 
 /Arguments againfl them j and with the beft * 
 of Arguments, their Experience of its good 
 Effecfls. You will therefore qucflionlefs do 
 all you can in this Way, without ufmg aqy 
 ExprefTions in Relation to their Fault, which 
 
 if
 
 feco?ui Charge to his CllkGY. yi 
 
 if repeated to them, may exafperate them. 
 But your chief Dependence muft been private 
 Application to them, varied fuitably to the 
 Occafion of their NeglecS:. If it arifes mere- 
 ly from Ignorance, or Sloth, or Want of 
 Thought, they mufl be plainly toldwhatthcy 
 owe to their Maker, and awakened to the 
 Hopes and Fears of a future Life. If it be 
 Defire of Gain or of Pleafure that keeps them 
 away, they muft be afked what it will profit 
 them to gain the whole World and lofe their own 
 Souls ? or (hewn that to be Lovers of Pleafure 
 more than of God will end in Pains eternal. If 
 they defend themfelves, by pleading, as fome 
 vvill,thatNothingcanbetold them at Church 
 but what they are acquainted with already, it 
 will furcly not be hard ton:iew them that they 
 over-rate their Knowledge : that if this were 
 otherwife they may however be reminded of 
 what they did not think of, or excited to 
 what they divl not pradife : that, were they 
 too perfect to receive any Benefit, it would 
 not be decent for them to tell the World fo 
 by their Behaviour: that at lead they ought 
 to fet others an Example who may be the bet- 
 ter for public Iiflrudion : and laftly, that 
 
 E 4 receiving
 
 72 ^he BiJJ:op of OxT orb's 
 
 receiving Inftrudion is not the Whole of di- 
 vine Service, but Praying the chief Part. 
 And though it is allowed they can pray at 
 Home privately, yet without enquiring whe- 
 ther they do, fince God hath commanded, 
 for plain and important Reafons, that we 
 worftiip him publicly, and hath excepted 
 no one : by what Authority doth any one 
 except himfelf ? And what will this end in, 
 but an univerfal Negledl of a Duty which our 
 Maker hath required to be univerfally prac- 
 tifed? If it be any Scruple about the Lawful- 
 nefs of coming to Church that keeps Perfons 
 away, fit Opportunities fhould be fought with 
 great Care, and ufed with great Prudence, 
 to fet them right; and fuch DifTenters, for 
 many there are, as do not think our Manner 
 of Worfliip fmful, but only prefer another, 
 which perhaps ihey are often without the 
 Means of attending upon, fhould be ferioufly 
 entreated to confider, how they can juftify 
 feparating from a lawful Communion ap- 
 pointed by lawful Authority, and even omit- 
 ting all public Worfhip frequently, rather 
 than worfhip with us. But then with which- 
 foever of thefe Perfons we difcourfe, not the 
 6 leaft
 
 faond Charge to his Cl-ergy. 73 
 
 leaftperfonal Anger muft be (hewn. Nothing 
 but a Concern about their future Ilappinefs. 
 For by this Means if we make them no bet- 
 ter, we ihall at leaft make them no worfe, 
 and perhaps may leave in the r Hearts what 
 will fome Time or other work there. Per- 
 fons who profefs themfelves not to be of our 
 Church, if Perfualions will not avail, mud 
 be let alone. But other Abfenters, after due 
 Patience, mufl: be told in the laft Place, that 
 unwilling as you are, it will be your Duty to 
 prefent them, unlefs they reform : and if, 
 when this Warning hath been repeated, and 
 full Time allowed for it to work, they ftiil 
 perfift in their Obllinacy, I beg you to do it. 
 por chis will tend much to prevent the Con- 
 tagion from fpreading, of which there is elfe 
 •great Danger : and when once you have got 
 them, though it be againft their Inclinations, 
 within Reach oiyourPulpit, who knows what 
 Good may follow ? Different Cafes may indeed 
 require Difference of Treatment : and both 
 the fame Severity and the fame Mildnefs, 
 that will (ubdue one, will harden another. 
 You will therefore adt yourfelves, and advife 
 your Church- wardens to ad in this Matter, 
 
 according
 
 74- "^he Biftdop o/'Oxford'^ 
 
 according to your Difcretion. And after a 
 Profecution is begun, it fhall ftill depend 
 on your Opinion whether it fliall be carried on 
 with Rigour, orfufpended a While in Hopes 
 of Amendment. Only one Caution I would 
 give you. Let not any Perfon's Threatenings, 
 that, if he is profecuted, he will go over to 
 the DifTenters, move you in the leaft. Such 
 will feldom do what they threaten : or if 
 they do, 'tis belter they Qiould ferve God in 
 any Way than none: and much better they 
 ihould be a Difgrace to them thm to us. I 
 muft not conclude this Head without defirina: 
 you to remind your People, that our Liturgy 
 confifts not only of Morning but Evening 
 Prayer alfo ^ that the latter is in Proportion 
 equally edifying and inftrudive with the 
 former^ and fo fliort, that, generally fpeak- 
 ing, there can arife no Inconvenience from 
 attending upon it, provided Perfons are with- 
 in any tolerable Diftance from the Church: 
 that few of them have Bufmefs at that Time 
 of Dayj and Amufements ought furely never 
 10 be preferred on the Lord's Day before Re- 
 ligion: not to fay that there is Room for both. 
 But befides the public Service, your Peo- 
 ple
 
 fecond Charge to his Clergy, ys 
 
 pie (hould be admonidied to fpend a due Part 
 of their Sabbath in private Exercifes of Piety. 
 For this is almoft the only Time, that the 
 f^r greater Part of them have, for meditating 
 on what they have heard at Church ; for 
 reading the Scripture and other good Books; 
 for' the ferious Confideration of their Waysj 
 for giving fach Inftrudion to their Children 
 and Families, as will make your Work both 
 eafier and more efFwduil. And therefore, 
 though one would not by any Means make 
 their Day of Reft wearifomCjnorforbidCheer- 
 fulnefs, and even innocent Feftivity upon it, 
 much lefs the Exprefllons of neighbourly 
 Civility and Good-will, which are indeed a 
 valuable Part of the gracious Ends of the In- 
 ftitution : yet employing a reafonable Share 
 of it ferioufly at Home as well as at Church, 
 and preferving an efpecial Reverence of God 
 even throughout the freer Plours of it, is 
 necefTary to m.ike it a BlefTing to them in 
 Reality, ini^ead of a Seafon of Leifure to 
 ruin themTelves, as it proves too often. 
 
 But farther, befides your and their Duty 
 on the Lord's Day, it is appointed, that all 
 Minlfters of Parities read Prayers on Holy- 
 days,
 
 j6 7he Bijhop ^Oxford 'f 
 
 days, on Wednefdays, and Fridays : and un- 
 doubtedly your Endeavours to procure a 
 Congregation at fuch Times ought not to be 
 wanting. Were I to repeat to you the ftrong 
 Expreffions which my great PredecelTor 
 Bifhop Fell ufed, in requiring this Part of 
 ecclefiaftical Duty, they would furprife you. 
 But I content myfelf with faying, that pub- 
 lic Worfhip was from the very firft Ages 
 conftantly performed on the two ftationary 
 Days of each Weekj that all Holydays ap- 
 pointed by the Church were carefully ob- 
 ferved by the Clergy, and the Number of 
 them now is not burthenfome : that where 
 you can get a competent Number to attend at 
 thefe Times, you will ad: a very pious and 
 ufeful, as well as regular Part : that your 
 own Houfes will fometimes furnifli a fmall 
 Congregation j and what Succefs you may 
 have with others, Nothing but Trials, re- 
 peated from Time to Time, can inform you. 
 But they, whofe Pariihioners are the feweft 
 and the bufieft of all, I hope do not fail of 
 bringing them to Church at the lead on 
 Good Friday, and Chriftmas Day, befides 
 Sundays. For though in fome of your An- 
 
 fwers
 
 fecond Charge to bis Clergv. yj 
 
 fwers to my Enquiries, tbefe are not menti- 
 oned as Prayer Days, yet I prefume that this 
 arofe from your taking it for granted I fliould 
 underftand they were. But if in any Place 
 they be not, I earneftly intreat they may : 
 for at fuch Times there can be no Difficulty 
 of getting a Congregation. I hope likewife, 
 that you are not wanting in due Regard to 
 thofe which are ufually called Sfaie H ly- 
 days : and particularly, that if the public 
 Faft, which hath been appointed thefe tw» 
 lafl Years, fliould be continued (as we have 
 but too much Reafon to apprehend there will 
 be Need) I beg you will endeavour, not only 
 to bring your Parifhioners to Church on that 
 Occafion ; but move them to fuch inward 
 Humiliation for their own Sins, and fuch 
 Fervency of Prayer for this moft corrupt and 
 wicked Nation, as may avert, if it be poiTi- 
 ble, the juft Judgments of God which fo vi- 
 bly threaten us. 
 
 You mufl: have underflood, Brethren, in 
 all you have heard, that I am not exhorting 
 you to promote in your Parifhes a mere Form 
 of Godlinefs without the Power. Outward 
 Obfervances, by whatever Authority ap- 
 
 Dointed,
 
 yS The BijJjop of OxF otld's 
 
 pointed, are only valuable in Proportion as 
 they proceed from a good Heart, and become 
 Means of Edification and Grace. They arc 
 always to be reverently regarded, but never 
 refled in : for Perfons may obferve, without 
 the leaft Benefit, what they cannot omit 
 without great Sin. The Bufinefs of your 
 Parishioners therefore is, fo to ufe the exter- 
 nal Part of Religion, as to be inwardly im- 
 proved by it in Love to God and their Fel- 
 low-creatures, and in moral Self-government: 
 and your Bufinefs is to apply both your pub- 
 lic and private Diligence, that this happy 
 End be effedually attained. You have un- 
 der your Care great Numbers of poor Crea- 
 tures, living very laborious Lives in this 
 World, and depending almoft intirely on 
 you for their Hopes of another. It is a noble 
 Employment to diredt their Behaviour and 
 lighten their Toils here, by Precepts and 
 Motives which lead them on at the fame 
 Time to Happinefs hereafter. You will be 
 fure of their Acknowledgements at leaft in 
 Proportion as you fucceed in this Work; but 
 you will be rewarded by God in Proportion 
 as you endeavour it. Think not therefore, 
 
 that
 
 fecond Charge to his Clergy. 79 
 
 that I am laying Burthens upon you, but only 
 Jiirring up your Mindi by Way ofRetuembrance, 
 and exhorting you fo to watch for the Souls 
 of Men as they that miijl grce Account^ that 
 you may do it with '^Joy aiid not with Grief. It 
 is very little in my Power either to increafe 
 or leflen your Duty, Our blefTed Mafler 
 hath fixed it ; you have undertaken it : and 
 were I to releafe ycu from ever fo great a 
 Part ofi'-, I {hould only bring Guilt on my- 
 fclf without acquitting you at all. The In-' 
 jundlions of the New Teftament, infinitely 
 ftri(5ler than any of Men, would continue to 
 bind you as firmly as ever. Take Heed there- 
 fore to the Minijlry which you have received in 
 the Lordy that you fulfl it. 
 
 Having a Subje(ft of fuch a Nature to fpeak 
 to you upon, and being able to fpeak to you 
 in a Body but once in three Years, you muil 
 not wonder if I go fomewhat beyond the 
 Bounds of a common Difcourfe. There are 
 many other Things, and very material ones, 
 relating to you as Parifh Miniflers, which I 
 could have wifhed to mention now: But I 
 was willing to treat firft of fuch Matters as 
 
 belong
 
 So the Bi/hop of Oxford'j 
 
 belong more immediately to the Worfliip of 
 God. If it pleale him that Hive to another 
 Vifitation I fhall in that proceed to the reft. 
 Permit me now to add but one Word or two 
 more upon a different Subjed:, and I have 
 done. 
 
 Whilft we are ferving Chriftianity here, 
 with the Advantage of a legal Eftablifhment 
 and Maintenance, there are vaft Multitudes 
 of our Fellow- Subjeds in America^ their 
 Negro-Slaves, and the neighbouring Indians^ 
 amongft whom the Knowledge of God is 
 taught, and the Exercifes of his Worship 
 fupported, if at all, very imperfecfily, and 
 with great Difficulty, by the Society for pro- 
 pagating the Gofpel : the Income of which . 
 depends entirely on the voluntary Contribu- 
 tions of good Chriftians , and is now re- 
 duced fo low, and burthened with 'fuch a 
 Debt, that they find it necefTary to propofe, 
 this next Year, according to the Powers of 
 their Charter, and with his Majefty's recom*- 
 mendatory Letters, a general Colledion, 
 which they have not had for above 20 Years 
 paft, to enable them to go on. Application 
 
 will
 
 ficond Charge to his CleHgy. Si 
 
 Will probably not be made to every Pari Hi 
 leparateJy. But I hope every Minifter will 
 give this excellent De(ign all the Affiftance 
 in his Power: fuchj as can afford it, either 
 by becoming flated Contributors and Mem- 
 bers of the Society; or at leaft by fome oc- 
 cafional Benefadtion in this Time of Need; 
 ind all, by recommending the Cafe to fuch 
 of their People or Acquaintance as they have 
 Reafon to think will pay Regard to it. If 
 any Perfort defires a more particular Acquain- 
 tance with the Nature and Ufefulnefs and 
 prefent Condition of this Undertaking, I 
 have given fome Account of thefe Matters 
 in a Sermon at their ahniverfary Meeting 
 lately publiflied by me, and fhall be ready 
 to give any of you farther Information, who 
 (hall either how or hereafter Spply to me 
 for it, perfonally or by Letter. 
 
 But I mufi: hot yet conclude, without 
 mentioning alfo thfe Society for promoting 
 Chriftian Knowledge : who are carrying on 
 the fame good Work in the Ea/l Indies , 
 vvhich that for propagating the Gofpel is in 
 the IVeJi'f and at the fame time are pro- 
 
 F moling
 
 82 ^he Blfiop of Oxford' 5 
 
 moting the Caufe of Religion many Ways 
 here at Home : particularly by felling at very 
 low Rates, Bibles, Common-Prayers, and 
 Numbers of other religious Books, chiefly 
 of fmall Sizes, for the Ufe of the Poor. 
 This they alfo are fupported in by Voluntary 
 Benefactions: to which whoever is able to 
 contribute, will do a very good Work : and 
 whoever can only purchafe a few of their 
 Books for the Ufe of his Parifhioners, fhall 
 have both my befl: Affiftance in it, and my 
 hearty Thanks for it. 
 
 I do not mean at all in fpeaking of thefe 
 Things to prcfcribe to you the methods of 
 your Charity: but only to lay before you two 
 very deferving ones, which may poffibly have 
 efcaped the Notice of fome of you j and to 
 endeavour, that the Caufe of our Lord and 
 Mailer may be ferved in as many Ways as it 
 can: for you muft be fenlible how very greaj 
 Need there is that none be negle(5led. By 
 zealoufly making Ufe of fuch as are pre- 
 fented to us, we may poffibly be of much 
 more Service to others than we exped : but 
 we (hall be fure of doing infinite Service to 
 
 ourfelves.
 
 fecond Charge to his Clergy. 83 
 
 ourfelves. And may Godjlir up the Wills of 
 all his faithful People, that they plenteoufy 
 bringing forth the Fruit of good Works may 
 of him be plenteoufy rewarded through Jefus 
 Chriji our Lord\ 
 
 f ColIe£l for the 25th Sunday after Trinity, 
 
 F 3 A CHARGE
 
 CHARGE 
 
 DELIVERED TO THE 
 
 CLERGY of the Diocese 
 
 OF 
 
 OXFORD, 
 
 In the Y E A R 1 747.
 
 o 
 
 <L'
 
 ■ * I 
 
 Reverend Brethren, 
 
 I Cannot fpeak to you thus affembled, 
 without congratulating you in the firft 
 Place on the happy Suppreffion of that 
 unnatural Rebellion, which, fince we met 
 laft, hath threatened our Religion and Liber- 
 ties. Nor will either my Duty, or my In- 
 clination, fuffer me to omit returning you 
 my heartieft Thanks, for the unanimous Zeal 
 you exprelTed againft it; and I doubt not 
 were ready to ^xprefs, even before the Ex- 
 hortation to do fo, which I was diredled to 
 fend you, and which you received with io 
 obliging a Regard. Your Behaviour, and 
 that of the whole Clergy, on this trying 
 Occalion, hath abounded with fuch Proofs of 
 Loyalty and affedlion to the Government, 
 under which God's Mercy hath placed and 
 continued U5, that his Majcfly hath declared, 
 
 F 4 he
 
 8 8 Ihe Bipop ofOxtoRDS 
 
 he fliall ever have the rtrongefl: Senfe of what 
 you have done for the fupport of his Throne, 
 and gladly (hew his Gratitude by any proper 
 Methods of extending his royal Favour to 
 you and to Religion. It may be hoped alfo, 
 that our Fellovi^-Subjeds will remember, 
 what they owe to our long defpifed and re- 
 proached Labours : and learn, how eflcntial 
 a Part the Church of Ejiglrmd is of our pre- 
 fent Eftablifliment. Indeed, not only the 
 more candid of thofe, who thought amifs of 
 us, have acknowledged our Merit now -, but 
 the lying Lips are put tojllence, which dif^ 
 dainfully and defpitefully fpoke agaifjjius\ 
 And let us go on, Brethren, to exprefs the 
 warmeft and mofl: prudent Zeal for what we 
 doubly felt theValueof, when we feared to lofe 
 it : and fo behave in this atid all RefpecTls, 
 that they who are of the contrary Fart may be 
 ajhamed, having no evil 'Thing to fay of us K 
 For however imperfedly Men may do us 
 Juftice, our Revv^ard from God is fure. 
 
 I have recommended to you, in the Courfe 
 of my former Vifitations, various Parts of 
 
 J Pfal. xxxi. 20. > T^t. ii. 8. 
 
 your
 
 third Charge to /^/i Clergy. 89 
 
 your Duty: Firft in general, as Minlfters 
 of the Gofpel in a vicious and profane Age; 
 then more particularly, as Incumbents cf 
 your refpedive Parities. Under this latter 
 Head, I began with what immediately relates 
 to the Worfhipof God: and now proceed to 
 another Point, of a temporal Nature indeed 
 as it may fcem, but feveral Ways conneded 
 with Spirituals; the Care you are bound to 
 take of the Incomes nrifing from your Bene- 
 fices. Thefe Endowments are facred to the 
 Purpofesof Piety and Charity: and it is nei- 
 ther lawful for us to employ them unfuitably 
 ourfelves, nor to let any Part of them become 
 a Prey to the Avarice of others. The few that 
 may appear to be larger than was necellary, 
 are in Truth but needful Encouragements to 
 the Breeding up of Youth for holy Orders. 
 And where they lelTened either an infufficient 
 Number would be dcflined to that Service, 
 or too many of them would be of the loweft 
 Rank, unable to bear the Expence of acquir- 
 ing due Knov/ledge, and unlikely to be treated 
 with due Regard. Befides, the mofl plentiful 
 of thefe Revenues may be well applied to re- 
 ligious Ufes: and therefore, as they have been 
 
 dedicated,
 
 90 The BifJ.op of Oxford'; 
 
 dedicated, ought to continue appropriated, to 
 
 i them. But the Generality of them, it will 
 
 iurely be owned, are fmall enough : and a 
 
 very great Part left fo utterly incompetent, 
 
 by the Ravages of former Times, that the 
 
 little which ren^ains, demands our ftrideft 
 
 Care now. For, without it, poor Incumbents 
 
 will not be able to m;^intain themfelves de- 
 
 cendy, much lefs to exercife Hofpitality and 
 
 Charity towards others. Yet on thefe Things 
 
 both their Spirit and their Succefs in doing 
 
 their Duty greatly depend. And therefore 
 
 liow indifterent foever any of us may have 
 
 Caufe to be about our own Interefts ; we 
 
 rught to confider curfelves as Truftees for our 
 
 Sncceilbrs. We all blame our PredeceiTors, 
 
 ir'they have not tranfmitted the Patrimony of 
 
 t;,e Church undiminifhed into our Hands. 
 
 Let us think then what others hereafter will 
 
 fay of us, and with what Realon, if we arc 
 
 guilty of the fame Fault ; and give away for 
 
 ever, what we fliould count it Sacrilege in 
 
 any one elfe to take from us. 
 
 Indeed fome Perfons imagine orpretend that 
 the only Danger is of the Clergy's encroach- 
 ing on tlie Properties of the Laity, not neg- 
 
 le^ing
 
 third Charge to /;/j Clergy. 91 
 
 leding their own. And we acknowlcdi^e 
 there have been Times, when that was th© 
 Danger. Bat they are long paft: and God 
 forbid we fhould defire to revive theni. 
 Placing exceffive Wealth in the Hands of 
 Pcclefiaftics, would both endanger others 
 ^nd corrupt them: as the Examples of pall 
 Ages have too fully fliewn. But the paro- 
 chial Clergy of thofe Times, inllead of being 
 the Authors of this Error, were the heaviell: 
 Sufferers by it. And to renew the Attempt 
 in thefe Days, would be Folly equal to its 
 Wickednefs : of which we fliould (0 certain- 
 ly and immediately be made fenfible, indeed 
 we are fo univerflilly fenfible of it already, 
 that there can be no Need of giving Cautions 
 on this Head. All we wirti for is, the un- 
 molefted Enjoyment of what clearly belongs 
 to us, and a reafonable Allowance of what is 
 confelTedly requifite for us, in order to attain 
 the only Ends of our Inftitution, the prefent 
 and future Happinefs of Mankind. In how 
 many and fad Inftances we fail of poflefTing in 
 Peace fuch a competent Provifion, I need 
 pot fay. Let us all behave under whatever 
 3 Ufagc
 
 92 Tie Bi//jop of Oxford s 
 
 Ufage we receive, with the Innocence and 
 the Prudence, which our Mafter enjoins. 
 But we fhall be wanting in both, if we wrong 
 ourfelves, and thofe that will come after 
 us, by improper voluntary Diminutions of 
 what is allotted for our Support : which, 
 through Inconfideratenefsand IndoIence,hath 
 been often done : defignedly, I would hope, 
 but feldom. And we may be guilty of it, 
 either at coming into our Benefices, or during 
 pur Incumbency on them, or when we quit 
 them : to which three Heads I /hall fpeak ia 
 their Order, 
 
 Yet indeed, as I am now diredling my 
 Difcourfe to Perfons, mofl of them already 
 polTeired of Benefices, it may feem too late to 
 give Cautions refpe(5ling the Time of entering 
 upon them. But all who have a6led right 
 then, will at lead hear with Pleafurc their 
 Conduct approved. If any have ad:ed wrong; 
 which I do not know, that any of you have; 
 cm being (liewn it, they may repent of it, 
 they may confider how far they can undo 
 what they have done, or prevent the bad 
 ponfequences that are likely to flow from it. 
 
 And
 
 tJjird Charge to bis Clergv. 93 
 
 And both Sorts may be influenced more 
 ilrongly, to take no improper Steps on any 
 future Occafion, and to warn their Friends 
 againft fuch Errors. 
 
 I proceed therefore to fay that Benefices 
 ought neither to be given, nor accepted, with 
 any other Condition or Promife, than that of 
 doing our Duty in Relation to them. This 
 Engagement is always underftood, whether 
 it be exprefled or not : and no other fl:iouId 
 cither be required or complied with. For 
 when Bifliops, originally the fole Patrons, 
 to encourage the Endowment of Pariflics, 
 gave others a Right of prefenting fit Perfons 
 to themj or that Right was confirmed or 
 granted by the civil Power : they muft be 
 fuppofed to give it only to be excrcifed for 
 the future, as it had been before : when 
 whoever was appointed to any Station in the 
 Church, enjoyed the Benefit of all he was 
 appointed to, fo long as he behaved well. 
 And therefore attempting to bring the Clergy 
 into a worfe Condition, is Ufurpation : and 
 fubmitting to the Attempt, is encouraging 
 Ufurpation. 
 
 Yet
 
 94 ^^^ Bifiop 2/^OxFORD'f 
 
 Yet there is a great Difference between" 
 the Things to which our Submiflion may 
 be dertianded. Some are grofsly and obvi- 
 oufly unlawfuL If for Inftance any Perfon,' 
 in order to obtain a Benefice, promifes to 
 give up fuch a Part of the Income, to con- 
 nive at fuch a LefTening of it, to accept of 
 fuch a Compofition for it, to allow fuch a 
 Penfion or make fuch a Payment to any 
 one out of it: thefs Things are in Effedl the 
 fame with laying down beforehand fuch a 
 Sum for it : which is the neareft Approach^ 
 excepting that of bribing for holy Orders, 
 to his Sin, who thought the Gifts of God 
 might be pur chafed ivith Money, and was an- 
 fwered, 7hy Money perifi mth thee''. Nor can 
 it take away, if it alleviate the Guilty that 
 the Payment or Penfion, thus referved, is 
 allotted to Ufes really charitable. Still it 
 is buying, what ought to be freely beflowed ; 
 this forced Charity mud difable a Man from 
 voluntary Almfgiving, in Proportion to its 
 Amount : and one Compliance in a feemingly 
 favourable Inflance, will only make Way for 
 another in a more doubtful Cafe, and fo on 
 without End. Another Exeufe I hope No- 
 
 "^ Afts viii. 2C\ 
 
 body
 
 third Charge to his Clergy. 95 
 
 body will plead > that Obligations of this 
 Kind may be fafely entered into, fmce they 
 are notoriouily void. For we can never be 
 at Liberty to make an Agreemenr, merely 
 becaufe it is fo bad a one, that neither Law 
 nor Confcience will let us keep it. 
 
 But fuppofing a Perfon binds himfclF to 
 his Patron, only that he will quit his Bene- 
 fice, when required: even this he ought not 
 to do. For he hath no Right to promife it ; 
 and no Power to perform the Promife. Who- 
 ever undertakes the Care of a Living, muft 
 continue that Care till the Law deprives 
 him of it, or his Superior releaPrs him f:om 
 it"^. Therefore he can only fubjedt himfelf 
 to a Penalty which another may exad at Plea- 
 fure, unlefs he doth what of himfelf he is 
 not able to do, and knows not whether he 
 fhall obtain Permiffion to do. Can this be 
 prudent? Can it be fit? If he pay the Pe- 
 nalty, he gives Money to the Patron, though 
 not for his firft PoficfTion of the Benefice, 
 yet for his Continuance in it : befides that 
 he muft either diftrefs himfelf, or defraud 
 
 " See Stillingfleet on Bond? of Kefignatlon, ia the third 
 Volume of his Works, p. 731. 
 
 Religion
 
 9© T^he Bifiop o/*OxFORD'i 
 
 Religion and Charity of what he ought tcJ 
 have beflovved on them. If then to avoid 
 paying It, he begs Leave to refign; he puts 
 hisBiiliop under very unreafonable Difficul- 
 ties: who by refufing his Requeft, may 
 bring great Inconveniencies on the poor Man: 
 and by granting it, may lofe a Minlller from 
 a Parlfh, where he was ufefu), and ought to 
 have continued : may expofe himfelf to the 
 many bad Confequences of having an im- 
 proper Succeflor prefented to him. At 
 )eaft he will eiicourage a Pradice undoubt- 
 edly wrong and hurtful in the Main, what- 
 ever It may be in the In (lance before him* 
 And why are not thefe fufficient Grounds for 
 a Denial ; fince whatever die Incumbent fuf- 
 fers by it, he hath brought upon himfelf? 
 
 Befides, in Bonds to refign, where no 
 Condition is exprefled, fome unfair Inten- 
 tion almoft always lies hid. For if It were 
 an honeil one, why fhould it not be plainly 
 mentioned, and both Sides cleared from Im- 
 putations r Afl'uredly unlefs Perfons are to 
 a ftrange Degree inconfiderate, this would 
 be done if it could. The true Meaning 
 therefore too commonly i?j to enflave the In- 
 cumbent
 
 third Charge to his Clergy. 97 . 
 
 cumbent to the Will and Pieafure of his Pa- 
 tron, whatever it fhall happen at any Time 
 to be. So that, if he demands his legal 
 Dues; if he is not fubfervient to the 
 Schemes, political or whatever they are, 
 which he is required to promote i if he re- 
 proves luch and fuch Vices ; if he preaches, 
 or does not preach, fuch and fuch Do6trines; 
 if he ftands up for Charity and Juftice to any 
 one when he is forbidden : the Terror of 
 Refignation, or the Penalty of the Bond, may 
 immediately be fhaken over his Head. How 
 fhamefully beneath the Dignity of a Clergy- 
 man is fuch a Situation as this ! Hovi^ griev- 
 oufly doth it tempt a M^n to unbecoming, 
 and even unlawful Compliances! What Suf- 
 picions doth it bring upon him of being un- 
 duly influenced, when he is not! Or however 
 he may efcape himfelf, what a Snare may 
 his Example prove to his poor Brethren of 
 weaker Minds, or lefs eftablidied Charaders ! 
 To prevent thefe Milchiefs, both the an- 
 cient Laws of other Churches, and thofe 
 of our own* dill in Force, have flridly 
 
 G forbidden 
 
 • StilUfigfiet In bis Letter about Bonds of Refignation in 
 Mifcell. Dircourfes, P. 42. &c. Ihews fvveral S«risof Con- 
 tracts
 
 98 1^ he EiJJjop of Ox? o^D'f 
 
 forbidden fuch Gontrads^ Particularly thtf 
 Council of Oxford, held in 1222, prefcribed 
 an Oath againft Simony, for fo it is entitled, 
 by which every Clerk {hall fwear at his 
 Inftitution, that he hath entered into no 
 Compadl in order to be prefented ^. And 
 Archbifhop Courtney, in his Injundlions to 
 all theBifhops of his Province in 1391, con- 
 demns thofe, as guilty of Simony, who^ be- 
 fore Prefentation, engage to refign when 
 required ^ -, and appoints all Perfons infti- 
 
 trafls that are allowed ; and obje£ls not againft Trufts and 
 Confidences ; [as indeed I have been affured that Dr. Bentley 
 held a Living in Trull for the Bifhop's Son] nor againft 
 tvhat is done, in Confideration of Service, without a Com- 
 pad : but only againft a legal Obligation on the Party, be*- 
 fore his Prefentation, to perform fuch a Condition j and if he 
 Uo not, to refign. 
 
 •"The Council o{ Weftmlnjler, 1138, appoints that when 
 any one receives Inveftiture from the Bilhop, he fhall fwear 
 that he hath neither given nor promifed any Thing for his 
 Benefice. Spelm. Vol. z. P. 39. apad Giblon Cod. P. 845. 
 
 « The Words are, quod propter pr^fentationem illam nee pro-> 
 tnijerit nee dederit aliquid pvitfentanti^ vec aliquant propter hoc 
 hiierit pa^ionem : where hoc moft naturally refers to negotiutn 
 prafentationis underftood. 
 
 See Cone. Oxon. C. 18. in Wilkins, Vol. i. P. 588. and 
 Lynd^ood, L. 2. de Jurejurando, cap. prafenti, in Wah^% 
 Charge 1709. P. 34. and Stillingfieet on Bonds, ^c. P. 721. 
 and Letter about Bonds, P. 39. 
 
 ^ But it appears, by the Preamble, that it was defigned 
 only againft putting it thus in the Patron's Power to diipofe 
 of the Profits, or turn the Incumbents out, and give Plurali- 
 ties of Livings to fuch as he favoured. 
 
 tuted.
 
 third Charge fo his ClerCjY. 99 
 
 tuted, to be fworn '\ that they have not 
 given, to obtain Prefentation, either Oath or 
 Bond to refign ^. Again, the Conftitutions 
 of Cardinal Pole, when Archbifhop, in 1555, 
 cenlure, as being iimoniacal, all Bargains or 
 Promifes for procuring of Benefices ^ and 
 aflert that Benefices ought to be given with- 
 out any Condition, and order that the Perfon 
 prefented fliall fwear, he hath neither pro- 
 mifed, nor given, nor exchanged, nor lent, 
 nor depofited, nor remitted, &c. any Thing, 
 nor confirmed any Thing given before*. 
 And a Convocation held under him, two 
 Years after, complaining that, of late Years, 
 Peifons have procured Benefices et Praia' 
 turasy [Parifh-Priefis are prcelati : fee Index 
 to Lyndwood in Prcelatus ;] not only vacant, 
 but likely to become fo, nonprecibus & ohfe^ 
 quits ia?ituf77, fed ©* apertis muneribus, fo that 
 ek6lionum faluhcrrima formcE qua per canones 
 libera ejje dcbcrent, 'velfr audi bus obt€?iebraia 
 
 » Wilkins, Vol. 3. P. 2 1 6. Wake, P. 3 5, 36. 
 
 ^ The Injunftions oi Efi. 6. in 1547, appoint that fuch as 
 buy Benefices, or come to them by Fraud or Deceit, fhal] be 
 deprived, &c. And fuch as fell them, or by any Colour b*- 
 llovv them for their own Gain or Profit, (hall Jofe their Right 
 of prelenting for that Time. Wilkins, Vol. 4. P. 7, 8. 
 
 ^mlkins,Yo\.^.?. 124, 125. 
 
 G 2 fUflty
 
 100 The BiJJiOp of Oxfcrd'j 
 
 flinty "vel ad compromifji necejjitatem redadfa : 
 directs, that Bifhops prevent thefe Things, 
 and take Care by themfelves and their Offi- 
 cers, efpecially quos in pralatorum eleSfionibus 
 tanquam direBores Q? confidtores interejfe con," 
 tinget, t\\'3iifraudes & pa^iones be excluded : 
 and if any one have got, per pecunia & mu~ 
 7iertm fordes, prcelaturam vel beneficium eccle- 
 Jicifticum, he be puniflied "". It is indeed 
 true, that the great Evil, at which thefe feve- 
 ral Dirciffcions Vy^ere levelled, was giving or 
 promiling Money for Prefentation, or re- 
 ceiving it for Refignations". And there- 
 fore it may be argued, that where no Mo- 
 
 " ^Fz7-{?>j, Vol. 4. P. 165. 
 
 *The Tenor of them fhews this. Particularly the cor- 
 rupt Refignations were to get Penfions out of Benefices, or 
 Money for quitting them, or Exchanges gainful to the Pa- 
 tron or his Friends. The Ref. Leg. EccL Tit. de Re?iuncia- 
 lipae. Cap. 3. foibids only Refignations for Confideration 
 of Gain. See Wake, P. 48. And Tit. Je admiltsndh ad Be- 
 neficia Ecclefiajlica, C. ?4. only obliges a Perfon at Inftitution 
 to fwear that he neither hath given nor promifed, nor will 
 give, any Thing. And Tit, de benejiciis cotiferendis forbids 
 only Compafts by which Benefices are le/Tened. See Woke, 
 P. 36. who goes too far ia faying the Words are general 
 ' againft all Manner of Contradts or Fromifes. The Preamble 
 of the O^th in Can. 40. condemns only buying and felling oi 
 Benefices. The Latin is Nundi?iatio, But Stillir.gjieet faith, 
 P. 719, this takes in any Benefit accruing to the Patron, 
 becaule mnnne emptionis ^3 venditionis intdligitur omnis con^ 
 $ra£lus non gratuitus% 
 
 ney
 
 third Charge to his ClergV. toi 
 
 ney Is direflly paid, or taken, or covenanted 
 for, nothing illegal is done. But the Opi- 
 nions delivered, and the Judgments pro- 
 nounced, by the Canon Lawyers, plainly 
 extend the Prohibition to whatever is equi- 
 valent to Money". And it hath been urged 
 that by how much fosver a perfon lefTcns the 
 Value of a Benefice to himfelf by a Bond 
 of Refignation to the Patron in order to pro- 
 cure it, as unqueftionably fuch a Bond doth 
 lefien it, fo much in EfFed he pays to obtain 
 it P. Or allowing, that in fome Cafes this 
 doth not hold : yet Nothing will prevent 
 unlawful Contracts in many Cafes, but pro- 
 hibiting in all Cafes abfolute Contrads to 
 refign upon Demand ; which therefore the 
 abovementioned Conftitutions have rightly 
 done. And as the Oaths, prefcribed in them, 
 exprefs the Denial of having made fuch a 
 Contrad:; the Oath prefcribed at this Time 
 muft naturally be underftood to imply the 
 fame Thing, f'or its being lefs explicit is 
 
 " See Wake, P. i8, 24. StUllngf.eet^ P. 7 19, 722. and I.e% 
 ter about Bonds, P. 46. ^V. The Injundicns oiEd. 6. Jorbid 
 Patrons felling Livings, or by any Colour bellowing cheui 
 for their own Gain and Profit. Wilkins, Vol. 4. P. 7, 8. 
 
 ^ Stilling fleet y P. 722. 
 
 G 3 no
 
 102 I'he Bifiop of Oxford'^ 
 
 no Proof, that, what in common Accepta- 
 tion came under the Name Simotiiacal before, 
 doth not come under it ftill. 
 
 However, we muft acknowledge, that 
 Bonds of Refignation on Demand have been 
 declared by the temporal Judges valid, and 
 not fimoniacal '^. And they are indeed the 
 proper Judges, whether they are fuch by the 
 Common and Statute Law. But whether 
 the Ecclefiaftical Law permits them, is not 
 fo clearly within their Cognizance. Indeed 
 all Qoeftions about this crime feem to have 
 been entirely out of if, till an Ad was 
 
 . made, 
 
 ^ Stillingjleet, P. 735, ^c. Wah, P. 415, Ifc. Indeed 
 Stiilingfieet, P. 735. fays that the Court, having given Judg- 
 ment for fuch a Bond in the Cafe of Jones and Laurence, 
 8 Jac. I. held, feven Years after, <vi%. 15 Jac. i. in the 
 Cafe of Pafckal and Clerky that it was Simony within the 
 Statute; and he cites T/fy, 22. for it. V^nt IVake mentions 
 not this : and Watfon, C 5, P. 40. fays it doth not appear 
 by the Roll that there was fuch a I'rial; and if there 
 was, it is of no great Authority, nor hath been regarded 
 fince. 
 
 ' See Wake,?. 39, 50. The Preamble of 5 Eliz. C. 23. 
 compared with§ 1 3, fufficicntly intimates that Simony is an 
 Offence appertaiiing merely to the Jurifdiflion and Deter- 
 mination of the Eccicfiaflical Courts and Judges. Yet Stil- 
 lingfleei,?. 718 cites iTom Croke, Car. '^61 . the Judges as 
 faying, in the Cafe of Mackaller and Toddenck, that the 
 Common Law before 31 Eliz. iook Notice of a fimoniacal 
 Contraft. But Coke in Cazvdriis Cafe, 5th Rep. Fol. 8,9. 
 as cited by I'Faie, P. 50. puts Simony among the Crimes 
 the Conufance whereof belongs not to the Common but 
 
 Ecclefiailical
 
 third Charge to his Cl er G r. 1 03 
 
 made 31 Eliz. C. 6. which for the avoiding 
 of Simony and Corruption in Prefentations 
 and Collations^ infilds Penalties on thofe 
 who (hall either give or procure them 
 for any Sum of Money, Profit or Benefit j 
 or for any Promife, Bond, or AfiTurance 
 of it, diredly or indiredly : but at the 
 fame Time allows the ecclefiaftical Laws 
 to punifli the fame Offences which the A(5l 
 doth, in the fame Manner as they did be- 
 fore. Now making thefe Provifions is not 
 faying, that Nothing (hall be deemed fimo- 
 niacal by the fpiritual Judge, but what the 
 temporal Judge lliall think is forbidden by 
 this Ad*. And therefore, though the lattec 
 
 Q 4 may 
 
 Ecclefiaftical Law, and repeats the fame. P. 40. And C>-oke, 
 Fol. 7S9. fays that the Judges in the Cafe of Baker, \z Eliz. 
 held that it appertains to the Spiritual Court to determine 
 what is Simony, and not to this Court to meddle there- 
 with. 
 
 ' Stillingfeet,'?. -jii. faith " the Words Simony or fi- 
 *' moniacal Contraft are never mentioned in this Statute." 
 And H'ake, P. 50 cites Noy, Rep. Fol. 25. as faying that 
 " in it there is no Word of Simony ; bccaule by that Means 
 *' the Common Law would have been judge what fhould 
 *' have been Simony, and what not." And Stillhigfett, 
 ibid, allows, that, if the Word had been there, the Judges 
 would have had fufficient Reafon to declare what was 
 Simony and what not. Now in Truth that Part of the Ad 
 which relates to the prefent Affair begins thus. ♦• And for 
 
 " the
 
 1 04 The Bijhop of Oxf ord'^ 
 
 may apprehend abfolute Bonds of Refignation 
 to be confiftent with the Statute; yet the 
 former may juftly apprehend them to be 
 inconfiftent with the Conftitutions of the 
 Church, which we ought to obey; and with 
 the Oath againft Simony, which ought to be 
 taken in the Senfe of thofe who originally 
 enjoined and ftiil adminifter it; and not to 
 have its Meaning changed on the fuppofed 
 Authority of their Opinions, who neither 
 have undertaken to interpret it, nor, if the 
 Judgment of their Predeceflbrs be allowed, 
 have a Right to do it. 
 
 At leaft refufing fuch Bonds, on Account 
 of the Oath, mud be the fafefl; Side : efpe- 
 cially, as the greateft Divines of this Church 
 have declared againft them; and I think 
 
 *' the avoiding of Simony and Corruption in Prefentations, 
 " Collations, and Donations of and to Benefices, &c. and in 
 " Admiffions, Inftituticns, and Indudion? to the fame, be 
 « it further enaded, that, if any Perfon, ^c." This may 
 feem to imply that no other Things but thofe mentioned 
 afterwards were Simcny: otherwife the Aft would provide 
 only for avoiding feme Sorts of Simony. Accordingly Gib/on 
 Cod. P. 839. and Stilling fi. Pref. P. 714. and Dif P. 
 7:8. think it only means to punifh fomc particular remark- 
 able ^orts fpeciiied in it : and Wake agrees that it abrogates 
 no ecclcfialtictti Law. And this agrees with what is obferved 
 here, Note". But ftill the Judges : after this Adl, thought 
 that judging of Simony did not belong to them^ See here. 
 Note '. 
 
 8 none
 
 third Charge to his Clergy. 105 
 
 none for them. Though indeed, were the 
 Oath out of the Queftion j the Bonds arc 
 apparently fo mifchievous, as to be for that 
 Reafon alone fufficlently unlawful. It may 
 be faid, that if the Patron attempts to make 
 any ill Ufe of them. Equity will relieve the 
 Incumbent. But I have lliewn you, that 
 their Confequences muft be very bad, what- 
 ever Ufe the Patron makes of them. And 
 befides, how expenfive, indeed how uncer- 
 tain, this pretended Relief will be ; how 
 feldom therefore it will or can be fought for; 
 and how much better on all Accounts it is 
 to avoid the Need of it j every one muft 
 perceive. 
 
 But let us now fuppofe, that a feemlngly 
 reafonable Condition were exprelTcd in thefe 
 Bonds: for Inftance, to refign when fuch a 
 Relation or Friend of the Patron's comes to 
 the Age of being prefented, who perhaps 
 hath been educated with a View to the Be- 
 nefice vacant ^ Now I do not fay but a 
 
 Perfon 
 
 ' Stillingjieet, P. 716. fuppofes this to be the Intent, 
 with which an abfolute Bond is required; and faith, it is a 
 Cafe, wherein a Bond may be thought far more reafonable 
 than in others. But he exprefTcs no pofuive Approbation of 
 it ; nor doth he mention there giving a Bond with this Con- 
 dition
 
 io6 The Bljhop of Oxford'^ 
 
 Perfon may very lawfully, and fometimes 
 very charitably, from an Intention of refign- 
 ing at fuch a Period, if Circumftances then 
 fhould make it proper 3 and may alfo fignify 
 fuch Intention beforehand. But if he bind 
 himfclf to it abfoluteiy, befides the Diilruft 
 of him, which requiring this implies, perhaps 
 when the Time comes, the young Perfon 
 will refufe to take the Benefice, or the Patron 
 to give it him: and yet the Incumbent muil 
 continue in perfeift Dependance thencefor- 
 ward : for his Cafe is become the fame, as 
 jf his Bond had been originally without any 
 Condition. Befides, this Contrivance for pro- 
 curing an immediate Vacancy at fuch a parti- 
 cular Time, encourages Perfons, even of low 
 Rank, to purchafe Patronages, feparatc from 
 
 dition exprcfTed. But, in P. 736. he hath that Cafe in View 
 where he faith, " that there may be a lawful Trull in fuch a 
 *« Cafe, I do not queftion:" yet adds, " but whether the 
 «' Perfon who takes this Trull can enter into a Bond and 
 *' take the Oath, I very much queftion;" And Wake^ 
 though in P. 22. he names this as one of the moll favourable 
 Cafes that can be delired, condemns it notvvithllanding ; a? 
 aa Obligation, which the Patron has no Right to impofe, 
 nor the Clerk any Power to enter into; as contrary to the 
 Cannons, and the Authority of the Bifhop, and the Oath 
 of yielding him canonical Obedience, and of doing what 
 in the Clerk lies to maintain the Rights of his See; 
 but he doth not i^":! it is contrary to the Oath againfl Si- 
 njony. 
 
 the
 
 third Charge to his Cl-ergy^ 107 
 
 tlie Manors on which they were anciently 
 appendant, merely to ferve interefted Pur- 
 pofcs. And the Generality of thefe, inftead 
 of confidering their Right of Prefentatioii as 
 a fpiritual Truft, to be confcientioufly dif- 
 charged, will of Courfe look on it as a tem- 
 poral Inheritance, which fince they have 
 bought, they may fairly fell, at any Time, 
 in any Manner, for what they can : or at bed 
 merely as the Means of providing a Mainte- 
 nance for fuch Perfons as they pleafe : who 
 therefore, unlefs they will be cafl: off intirely 
 by their Friends, maft, when they are of 
 Age, however unfit for the Cure of Souls, 
 however averfe from it, fubmit to be pre- 
 fented, and perhaps cannot be rejected. Then 
 further, in Proportion as this Cuftom pre- 
 vails. Benefices, and particularly the more 
 valuable ones, coming to be of a temporary 
 and precarious Tenure, contrary to what they 
 were intended ; Perfons of Character and 
 Abilities, and a proper Spirit, will not fo 
 often care to take them. Or if they do, they 
 will not ufually, indeed it cannot fo well be 
 expelled they {liouldjcitherdefend the Rights 
 of them, or exercile Hofpitality and Charity 
 
 upon
 
 lo8 T^he Bljldop of Oxford'^ 
 
 upon them, in the fame Manner, as if they 
 were to hold them for Life. Nor will the 
 
 People, generally fpeaking, refpeift thofe who 
 come in thus, and rnuft behave, and go out 
 again thus, as they ought alv/ays to refpe(5t 
 their MiniO:ers. 
 
 But ftill Perfons may plead that whatever 
 is objeded againfl other Engagements from 
 Incumbents to Patrons, yet if they engage 
 only to be conftantly rcfident, to do faith- 
 fully the whole Duty, which the Laws of the 
 Church enjoin them, or perhaps fomewhat 
 more ; this mufl: be allowable. And doubt- 
 lefs it is, provided the Engagement be only 
 a fmcere Promife of adling thus, as far as 
 they can with reafonable Convenience. Nay 
 if they bind themfelves by a legal Tie, to do 
 any Thing, which either belongs of Courfe 
 to their Benefice, or hath by ancient Cuftom 
 been annexed to it, learned and judicious 
 Authors juftify them ^ But covenanting thus 
 to do even a laudable Acflion, as teaching 
 School, or prefcribing to the fick, if their 
 Predeccflbrs were not, without a Covenant,' 
 
 * Wakens Charge, ^7^9' ?• 24. Sti//i>tg/eet^s Letter, 
 
 P. 54. 
 
 obliged
 
 third Charge fo his Clev^gy. 109 
 
 obliged to it, hath been held unlawful and 
 fimoniacal^: becaufe it is promifingto fave, 
 which upon the Matter is promiiing to give, 
 fo much Money cither to the Patron, or 
 however to thofe for whom he interefts 
 himfelf. And indeed, though Perfons were 
 to promifc only what in Confcience they are 
 antecedently bound to -, yet if they tie 
 themfelves either to do this, or to refign ; 
 whenever they fail in any one Part of it, as 
 to be fure they will in fome, fconer or later, 
 though perhaps very innocently; fuppofmg 
 the Rigour of their Bond infifted upon, (as 
 who can fay it will not ?) they are at the 
 Mercy of the Patron ever after. He becomes 
 their Ordinary; and is vefted, by their Im- 
 prudence, with a much greater Authority 
 than the Bidaop hath : an Authority of re- 
 ftraining their Liberty, where the Wifdom of 
 the Church hath not reftraincd it'': an Au- 
 thority of proceeding fummarily; and de- 
 pnvmg them, for whatever Failures he ha'h 
 thought fit to infert in the Bond, without 
 Delay and without AppeaJ : and this Autho- 
 rity he may exercife ever after, when he 
 
 pleafes.
 
 1 1 o ^he Bifiop of Oxfor d'j 
 
 pleafes, tojufl: the fame Purpofes, as if they 
 had covenanted at firft to refign when re- 
 quefted. 
 
 Still, without Quedion, many good Per- 
 fons have both required and given Bonds of 
 Refignation of thefe latter Sorts : and in 
 many Cafes, as no Harm at all hath been 
 intended, fo no particular Harm hath been 
 done by them. But in fo many more there 
 hath, and it is fo neceifary to go by general 
 Rules J and one fpecious Exception doth fo 
 conftantly produce others that are a little lefs 
 fo ; till at lafi: the mofl pernicious Pradlices 
 creep in y, that there is abundant Reafon to 
 refufe making any Contrads whatfoever in 
 order to obtain Prefentation : and more ef- 
 pecially there is Reafon to refufe them, on 
 Account of their mifchievous Influence on 
 the Revenues of the Church : which was 
 the immediate Occafion of my (peaking of 
 them now j though I thought it by no Means 
 proper to omit the other Arguments againft 
 them. 
 
 Perhaps it may be faid : if Patrons will 
 have Bonds of Reiignation, what can Clergy- 
 
 y fVaki, p. 25. 
 
 men
 
 third Charge (o his Clergy, lit 
 
 men do ? I anfwer. If Clergymen will not 
 give them, how can Patrons help them- 
 felves ? They mufl: prefent without them, or 
 their Right muft lapfe to the Bifhop, who 
 will. It may indeed be replied, that though 
 one Perfon rejedts the offer, another will ac- 
 cept it : and therefore he may as well. But 
 this would equally be an Excufe for the worfl: 
 of wrong Compliances in every Kind : and 
 confequently it is an Excufe for none„ Be~ 
 fides, it may happen, that by arguing with Pa- 
 trons againft fuch Contrads, they may be 
 convinced j and learn fo juft an Efteem for 
 thofe, who refufe them decently and refpecfl- 
 fully, as not only to prefent them with double 
 Fleafure, but do them afterwards greater 
 Services, than they intended them before. At 
 leaft whatever Clergyman behavesinfo worthy 
 and exemplary a Manner, will aflliredly, if 
 the reft of his Condu(5t be fuitable to that 
 Part, either by the Care of God's Providence, 
 be raifed in the World fome other Way ; or, 
 by the Influence of God's Spirit, be made 
 cafy and happy in his prefent Situation. 
 But it may be objeded further, that Bifliops 
 
 argue
 
 112 ^heBiJbopofOxTORD's . 
 
 argue with an ill Grace againft Bonds at Pre- 
 fentation, while they themfclves take them 
 at IniYitution. And it muft be owned, that 
 in feveral Diocefes, particularly that of Lin-- 
 coin, out of which this was taken, and of Pe- 
 terboroiigh^ which was alfo taken from 
 thence ^, there is an ancient and immemo- 
 rial Cufiom, (Cuftoms, you are fenfible, not 
 being the fame every where j) for the Clerk 
 prefented to indemnify the Bifiiop and his 
 Officers from all Suits at Law for inftituting 
 bim. And accordingly in this Diocefe, Bonds 
 appear to have been taken for that Purpofe at 
 all Inftitutions for 1 20 Years pafi: : within 
 which Time, there have been nearly, if not 
 quite, 700 given, that are now lying in the 
 Regiftry : And hence we may prefume the 
 Practice hath been the fame from the Eredtion 
 of the See. The Original of it probably was, 
 that a Commiffion of Inquiry being formerly 
 fent out, as old Regifters prove, upon every 
 
 * In Uncohi Diocefe they are taken only when the Bifliop 
 hath any the leaft Sufpicion about the Patronage : in Petci'- 
 borough and Litchfield always : in Canterbury whenever a new 
 Patron prefents : m Cloucejiir ^nd>. jEx^r they were taken till 
 the Time of the prefent Biihops, 
 
 Va-
 
 third Charge fo his Clergy . 113 
 Vacancy* alledged, to certify the Bifliop, 
 whether the Hving was really vacant, who 
 was atprefent the true Patron, and whatever 
 elfe it was requifite he fliould know in order 
 to inflitute : and the Expence of this Com- 
 mllTion, and of the Proceedings upon it, 
 being of Necefiity confiderable to the Clerk, 
 who bore it**; the cheaper Method of a 
 Bond from him to fave the Bifhop harmlefs, 
 was fubftituted in its Room. And a further 
 Reafon might be, that, the Bifhop having 28 
 Days allowed him, after the Prefentation was 
 tendered, to confider and inform himfelf, 
 whether he fliould inRitute the Clerk pre- 
 fented or not; the Clerk was willing andde- 
 iirous, rather to indemnify the BiQiop, if he 
 would confent to inflitute him fooner, than 
 to bear the Inconvenience, and pcrhaj s 
 Charges, of waiting to the End of that Tiiiie. 
 
 'That it was on every Vacancy appears frpm Archbifhop 
 StratforiTs Conftitution. Srvva, A. D. 1342. m-Lindiv P. 
 223. and from Li^d-u-, P. 217. on Archbifhop P<?f/^v;;w's Con- 
 flitution p'r nofirajn prcvincicnn verb. Iiiqiafjisrurr., and from 
 JBifhop Gihjon\ Codex, P. 8 5 7* 
 
 *" It appears from the above Conftitution o^ Stratford, thit 
 the Cleik paid for the CommiHion, and thcreJorc of Courl'e 
 for all that was done upon it. 
 
 H At
 
 1 14 The Bifiop of Oxford's 
 
 At lead the only Defign of this Bond was 
 and is, that if the Clerk's Title to Inftitution 
 be queftionable, the Bifhop may not fufFer by 
 granting it. Now a Covenant for this End 
 is furely a very lawful one, and fubjed to 
 none of the Mifchiefs, which, I have fhewn 
 you, attend Bonds to Patrons. Nor was any 
 Conftitution of Church or State ever pointed 
 againft it: nor I believe hath any Harm ever 
 happened from it. 
 
 But I mufl owai too, that there is another 
 Condition added to thefe Bonds, that the 
 C:ierk (hall relign his Benefice, if required by 
 the Bifhop, in Cafe any Controverfy arife, 
 whether his Inrtitution be rightful. But this 
 P.ovifionis, in the Bond, expreikd to be made 
 only for the fame Purpofe with the former, 
 the Indemnification of the Bi(hop: and the 
 Penalty of the Bond is fo moderated, as to 
 ferve that Purpo(e and no other. Accord- 
 iiigiy I have not heard, that any one Perfon 
 hath ever fcrupled, in Point of Confcience, 
 to enter into this Engagement; t]:e Meaning 
 oFit being only, that if he prove to have no 
 R-^ht, he fliail quit: nor indeed, that any 
 
 one
 
 third Charge to his Clilrgy. i 15 
 
 one hath found Caufe to fcruple it in Point of 
 Prudence. For as you may be fure the ful- 
 filling it would never be required without 
 Neceffity ; fo I believe it hath never yet been 
 required at all. That neither the Intention 
 cf this Covenant was bad, nor the Reafons 
 for it contemptible, you will readily allow, 
 on being told, that it began to be inferred 
 conftantly in this Diocefe, at the Time when 
 ourprefent moH: Reverend Metropolitan was 
 placed over it: which feeming Innovation was 
 indeed only conforming more exadlly to the 
 old Example of our Mother See^ But ftill 
 as it is a Condition, the infifting on which, 
 in fome Cafes, might have bad Effecfls, that 
 were not fore fecn "^j though in fuch Cafes 
 it probably never would be infifled on, as it 
 never hath : I have determined, with his 
 
 * I have feen a Bond from the Bifliop of T.hicolns Regiftry 
 with this Covenant in it, printed in the lime of Jac. 2 and 
 the Bilhop informs me the Covenant hath been ufed ever 
 fince the l^eftoration ; how nmch fooner he knows not. 
 
 ^f.g. A Suit may be begun which would have proved 
 incffettual. Yet it the Incumbent refign, the Expenceof a 
 fre(h Prcfentation and Inflitution will atleaft be ntcefTiry for 
 him : but indeed the Patron may prefent another: and in 
 the Cafe of alternate Patronage, another will prefent. 
 
 H 2 Grace's
 
 1 1 6 The Bifiop cfOxFO r d*^ 
 
 Grace's intire Approbation, to omit it for the 
 
 fijture. 
 
 And in every Thing, I fliall not only be 
 careful to make your Burthens no heavier, but 
 if it can be Ihewn me, that I am able to do it, 
 with Juftice and Equity, I (hall be glad to 
 make them hsihter. The Fees taken of the 
 Clergy in this Diocefe, whether at Inftita- 
 tionsor Viiitations, are not varied in any one 
 Article from thofe, which were returned to, 
 and not difapproved by, a Committee of Par- 
 liament in the Time of my Predeceilbr. They 
 are the fame, as he informs me, with thofe 
 taken in the Time of his Predeceflbr. Nor have 
 1 hitherto found Proof, though I have in- 
 quired with fome Care, that they have been 
 increafed at all materially fince the Bifhopric 
 was founded ^ Thofe of Vifitation I am 
 fure have not in the leaft. And yet the Di- 
 minution of the Value of Money in that In- 
 terval hath reduced the fame Sum in Name 
 and Quantity, to perhaps not a Fourth of 
 what it was in Effect and Ufe : on which Ac- 
 
 ' i. e. Allowing each of the new Inftruments that are re- 
 quired, to colt as much as each of the old ones. 
 
 count
 
 third ChiU'ge fo /j/'s Clergy. i r 7 
 
 count proportionable Augmentations of Fees 
 have been made, I believe, in all temporal 
 Courts and Offices; and ancient Ruks to the 
 contrary have been jullly deemed obfoletc, 
 the Reafons of them hiving ceafed. So that 
 where this hath not b^en done, or not to any 
 confiderable Degree, there is Caufe to ren- 
 der to all their Dues with great SatisfatTLion. 
 And here I mud take the Freedom of 
 fpeaking to you about fome Dues owing to 
 myfelf, Synodals and Procurations. The 
 former are an ancient Acknowledgment of 
 Honour and Subjedion, referved by the 
 Bifhops of the Weftern Church, as long ago 
 as when they fettled their own Share of the 
 Tithes, in each Parifli, to be the future Pro- 
 perty of the fcveral Incumbents : And it 
 took its Name from being ufually paid at the 
 Synodal Meetings. Now fo fmall a Tribute, 
 efpecially if conlidered as a Quit Rent for fo 
 great a Conceffion, can farely never be 
 thought a IIardn"iip. The other, Procurations, 
 are alfo a Payment feveral hundred Years 
 old, fucceeding in the Place of a much niore 
 expenlive Obligation, that of entertaining the 
 Bifhop and his Attendants, when he vifited 
 
 n 3 each
 
 1 1 8 T!he BiJJjGp cf Ox for d' j 
 
 each Parifh. Neither of them hath been in- 
 creafed fince their firft Beginning: the Right 
 to both is indifpatably legal : and as I am 
 fvvorn to maintain all the Rights of my See, 
 I promifi myfelf none of you will force me 
 to do it in a Way, that cannot be more dif- 
 agreeable to you, than it will to me. If any 
 one pleads, that complying with the Demand 
 of fo trifling a Sum will be inconvenient to 
 him, it fhall be more than returned him. If 
 any one doubts, whether it is incumbent on 
 him or not : his Reafons for the Doubt, when- 
 ever he lays them before me, fhall be im- 
 partially confidered, and allowed their full 
 Weight. But I hope no Perfon will think it 
 either decent or jufl:, merely to refufe, with- 
 out afiigning a fufficient Caufe : and Difufe 
 for fome Years is not fufHcient, in a Mat- 
 ter, like this, of common Right. Moft of my 
 Clergy have very pundually (liewn me this 
 little Mark of their Regard, amongfl: many 
 greater. Whether any here prefent have 
 omitted it, I do not know. But I truft you 
 with all have the Candor to think I have men- 
 tioned it, not from any wrong or mean Mo- 
 tive, but becauff 1 apprehend it my Duty, 
 
 and
 
 third Charge to his Clergy. 119 
 
 and have not the lead Doubt ofyour Willing- 
 nefs to be informed or reminded of every 
 Part of yours. 
 
 And with this Kind of DigrefTicn I muft 
 conclude for the prefent. If God prolong my 
 Life and Health to another Opportunity, 1 
 (hall proceed to the Remainder of the Subject. 
 In the mean Time, I heartily pray him to 
 dired: and blefs you in all Things. 
 
 H4 A CHARGE
 
 CHARGE 
 
 DELIVERED TO THE 
 
 CLERGY of the D I o c E s E 
 
 OF 
 
 OXFORD, 
 
 In the Year i 750,
 
 Reverend Brethreriy 
 
 IN the Conrfe of my former Vifitatlons 
 of this Diocefe, I have recommended to 
 you various Parts of your Duty, as Minifters 
 of the Gofpel in general, and of your rcfpec- 
 tive Parifhes in particular. After Things, 
 more immediately and intirely of fpiritual 
 Concern, I proceeded, in m.y laft Charge, to 
 the Care, that you are hound to take of your 
 Temporaltiesj with which you are intruded, 
 partly for the Service of Religion in your 
 own Times, partly for your SuccelTors, as 
 your PredecefTors were for you : a Truft, 
 which if any of them broke, or negleded, 
 you are too fcnfible they did ill, to be ex- 
 cufuble to your own minds, if you imitate 
 them. And dividing this Care into the 
 Behaviour, that is requifite at your coming 
 into Livings, during your Incumbency on 
 
 them,
 
 124 T/je Bi/Jjop of Oxfords 
 
 them, and when you are to quit them : I 
 went through the firil: of thefe Heads i giv- 
 ing you proper Cautions, more efpecially 
 againU: making any Contrad: or Promife in- 
 confiflent with the Oath then required of 
 you, or prejudicial to your own Benefices, or 
 the common Interefts of the Clergy. There- 
 fore I now go on to the fecond, the Vigi- 
 lance, with which you ought each to fuper- 
 intend the Revenues and Poireflions of your 
 Church, whilft you continue Minifler of it. 
 I have too much Caufe, in every Thing, 
 to be fenfible of my own Unfitnefs to diredt: 
 but, in feveral Articles, relating to this 
 Point, I am peculiarly unqualified : having 
 little Experience in them, and a yet lefs 
 Share of the proper Abilities and Turn of 
 Mind for them. However, I ought not to 
 omit being of fuch Ufe to you, as I can. 
 There may be thofe amongfl you, who are 
 either dill more unacquainted with thefe 
 Matters, or at lead have not confidered them 
 all in the fame Light : as you mufl: have 
 ohferved, that very obvious Inftances, both 
 of WifJom and Duty, efcape the Attention 
 of many, till they are pointed out to them. 
 7 And
 
 fourth Charge fo bis Clergy, 125 
 
 And a Difcourfe, neither complete, nor pof- 
 fihly free from Miftakes, may notwithfland- 
 ing do Service, by exciting Perfons to think 
 on the Subjed", more than they have done 
 hitherto. 
 
 Your Care, in Refped to this Subjed, con- 
 fifts of two Parts : recovering what may be 
 unduly withheld from your Church, and 
 preferving what is left. 
 
 Jt is very unhappy, that fo troublefome 
 and invidious an Employment, as the former, 
 (hould ever be made neceflary : which yet it 
 hath too often been. Glebe Lands have been 
 blended with temporal Eftates: and Pretences 
 fet up, that only fuch a yearly Rent, far infe- 
 rior to the real Value, is payable from them. 
 Tithes and other Dues have been denied ; 
 under falfe Colours of Exemptions in fome 
 Cafes, and of Modus's in many. Every 
 unjuft Plea admitted makes Way for more. 
 And thus what was given for the Support of 
 the Clergy in all future Times, is decreaf- 
 ing continually ; and becoming lefs futiicient, 
 as if goes down to them. The Laity them- 
 felves, if they would reflect, mu ft fee, that 
 they have by no Means any Caufe to rejoice 
 
 in
 
 t 
 
 126 The BiJJjop of OxfordV 
 
 in this. For, probably few of them In Pro- 
 portion will be Gainers by what we lofe : 
 but the whole Body of them, wherever the 
 Provifion made for us becomes incompetent, 
 mud: either make another at their own Ex- 
 pcnce, or be deprived in a great Meafure of 
 the good Influences of our Office, with 
 Refpedt to this World and the next. But 
 whatever they are, we ourfelves cannot furely 
 fail to be deeply concerned at the ill Afpect 
 which thefe Encroachments bear towards 
 Religion in Ages to come. Whoever is in- 
 different about it, fhews himfelf very un- 
 worthy of what he enjoys from the Liberality 
 of Ages preceding. And whoever is grieved 
 at it, will fet himfelf to confider, not how 
 he can augment the Patrimony of the 
 Church, where it is already plentiful -, or 
 any where, by diihonourabie Methods: (you 
 are very fenfible, what Injuftice and Folly 
 there would be in fuch A^ttempts) but how 
 he can retrieve any Part of it, which is ille- 
 gally or unequitably feized and detained. 
 
 Now here the Foundation of all muft be, 
 a diligent and impartial Inquiry into the 
 Right of the Cafe : for it v/ould be abfurd to 
 
 deceive
 
 fo urth Charge /o Us Ci'ERGr. 1 2 7 
 
 deceive ourfelves ; and unfair to demand of 
 others what we are not well perfuaded is 
 our Due. Therefore to avoid both, we 
 {hould afk the Opinion of ikilful and upright 
 Advifers. If this be in our Favour, the next 
 proper Steps will be, laying our Claim, with 
 the Proofs of it, fo far as Prudence will per- 
 mit, before the Perfon concerned j repre- 
 fenting it, in a friendly and ferious Manner, 
 as an Affair, in which his Confcience is in- 
 terefledi procuring the Affiftance of thofe, 
 who have Weight with him, if we know any 
 fuch ; taking the Opportunity of his being, 
 at any Time, in a more confiderate Difpofi- 
 tion than ordinary; prefiing him, not to 
 rely too much on his own Judgment, where 
 it may fo eaiily be biaffed: yet forbidding 
 him to rely on ours, if he would ; and beg- 
 ging him to confult fome other worthy and 
 able Perfon; offering to pitch on one or 
 more, if Circumflances perfuade to it, 
 whofe Determination fliall conclude us both: 
 and entreating him to fay, whether he would 
 not think this, in any other Cafe, very rea- 
 fonable. If flijl he cannot prevail on him- 
 felf to comply: we may endeavour to lelTen 
 
 the
 
 I2S Th BiJJjOp of 0XF0KD*S 
 
 the Difficulty, by propofing to accept a fmall 
 Payment, where none hath been made of 
 feme Time j or a fmall Variation, where a 
 cuftomary Payment is pleaded: in Hopes, 
 that either the Defire of enjoying, with fome 
 Degree of good Confcience, the Main of 
 what he withholds now with a bad one; or, 
 at leafl:, that of avoiding the Coft and 
 Hazard of a Contefl, may win him over. 
 
 If none of thefe Methods (which too com- 
 monly happens) will operate, after a due 
 Seafon allowed them for it; the only remain- 
 ing Remedy is an Appeal to the Law. But 
 here I would be far from exciting any of you 
 to plainly fruitlefs or over-dangerous At- 
 tempts. I am very fenlible, how unfavour- 
 able the Times are to ecciefiaflical Preten- 
 fions, how enormous the Expences of legal 
 Proceedings, how fmall the Incomes of moft 
 Benefices, how flrait the Circumftances of 
 moft Clergymen: Confiderations, that, one 
 (hould think, would reftrain Perfons of any 
 Generofity, nay of any Compaffion, from 
 bearing hard upon them. But they ought 
 not to be pleaded by any of us, to excufe 
 ourfelves from undertaking a necelTary Bur- 
 then;
 
 fourth Charge to his Cl-ekgy . 129 
 
 then; which perhaps we are as well ahle to 
 fupport, as any, who will be likely to come 
 in our Stead. I am fcnfible too, and would 
 have you be fo, that fcarce any Thing is a 
 more effedual Hinderance to our doing Good 
 amongft our Parishioners, than the Charadler 
 of being litigious ; which many delight to 
 give us : but with how little Jufiice, in ge- 
 neral, one fingle Obfervation amongft feveral 
 that might be alledged, will more than 
 lufficiently fliew 3 that of 700 Suits for 
 Tithes, brought by the Clergy into the 
 Court of Exchequer, which is only about 
 one in 14 Parifhes, during the Space of ^^ 
 Years, from the Reftoraiion to the Year 
 1713, 600 were decided for them. It is 
 true, our obtaining JufHce againft any Man, 
 though in ever fo clear a Caufe, is very apt 
 to be refented, by himfclf and his Friends 
 at leaft, as grievous Injuftice. But ufing the 
 previous amicable Meafurcs, which I have 
 recommended, mud in fome Degree pre- 
 vent, either fevere Imputations upon us, or 
 however the Belief of them : and if not 
 intirely, yet, by Mildnefs, and Prudenc?, 
 we may certainly regain in Time the Re- 
 
 I putation.
 
 130 The B(/JjofqfOx¥0'RD's 
 
 putation, we never deferved to lofe. At 
 leaft our Succeflbrs will enjoy, free from all 
 Blame, what we recover to them : whereas 
 if we acquicfcein the Detention of our Due, 
 they will ilill be more likely to do fo, and 
 thus the Lofs of it will be perpetuated. 
 Therefore in Cafes both fufficiently plain, 
 and of fufficient Importance, when all other 
 Ways have been tried to no Purpofe, and 
 the Right will be either extinguilhed, or 
 much obfcured, by Delay j and perhaps the 
 Example fpread further : 1 fee not, how we 
 can excufe ourfelves from applying to a 
 proper Court of Juftice, if we can hope to 
 procure a Sentence from it, without abfolute 
 Ruin or extream Diftrefs. For it is a mean 
 and wicked Selfifhnefs, to hoard up Wealth, 
 confult our Eafe, or court the Favour of our 
 Superiors, by letting the Inheritance of the 
 Church be impoverifhed, while the Guar- 
 dianfliip of it is in our Hands. 
 
 But then we mud be doubly careful of 
 what all Men fhould be abundantly more 
 careful of, than mofl are, that we never awe 
 Perfons, efpecially poor Perfons, unjuRly, 
 by threatening them with Law, into a Com- 
 pliance
 
 fourth Charge to his Clergy. 1 3 6 
 
 pliance with our Demands ; and that no 
 Difpute of this Kind ever entice us to do any 
 Thing fraudulent, or provoke us to do any 
 Thing ill-natured or vexatious. And par- 
 ticularly, if we have a Demand on any of 
 the People called Quakers, we fliould, if we 
 poflibly can, purfue it by that Method only, 
 which the A^, for the more eafy Recovery 
 of fmall Tithes, hath provided : and rather 
 fit down with a moderate Lofs, than do 
 otherwife. For they are a Generation, loud 
 in their Complaints, unfair in their Repre- 
 lentations, and peculiarly bitter in their Re- 
 fledions, where we are concerned: unwearied 
 in labouring to render us odious, and furpri- 
 fingly artful in recommending themfelves to 
 the Great. 
 
 But I proceed to the lefs troublefome and 
 difagreeable Duty of preferving what we flill 
 poflefs. Now to this End the mofl obvious 
 Way is, keeping the Glebe in our own 
 Hands, and taking; the Tithes and all other 
 Dues, ourfelves: for which Reafon probably^ 
 amongft others, both ancient eccleli tftical 
 Conftitutions, and later Ads of Parliament, 
 have retrained and limited leafing of Bene- 
 
 1 2 fices.
 
 132 ^he BiJl:^Gp of Oxford V 
 
 fices. But many are fo little qualified for 
 this, and would be fo great Lofers by it : and 
 others would find it fuch a Hinderance to the 
 Difcharge of their minifterial Office, or the 
 Purfuit of ufeful Studies : nay, where it 
 hath been long difufed, the People might 
 perhaps be fo much ofifended with the No- 
 velty : that I would by no Means prefs doing 
 it in all Cafes, but only recommend it in 
 proper ones. And where it is done, if a 
 Clergyman v/ere to attend to fuch Matters 
 too clofely 5 and, above all, were to be over- 
 watchful and ftrid: about fmall Demands : 
 it would naturally raife a Contempt, if not 
 Hatred of him. And therefore it will be 
 much better to content ourfelves with giving 
 Parilhioners, by prudent Inflrudlion, ageneral 
 Senfe of their Obligation to pay their Dues ; 
 and by engaging Behaviour, a general Dlf- 
 pofition to it ; than to exadl the minuter 
 Sorts of them with an indecent Eagernefs. 
 But flill, where Rights, that may feem in- 
 confiderable in each particular Cafe, amount 
 to more on the Whole, than it is convenient 
 to lofe; and yet will be withheld, if not in- 
 fifted on ; we mufl do it, with as good a 
 
 Grace
 
 fourth Charge to his Clergy. 133 
 
 Grace as we can 5 and remind Perfons, if 
 there be Need, that fuch as make this ne- 
 ceflary, are indeed they, who ad the mean 
 Part: that it is no Fault of ours to require 
 what the Law hath allotted us for our 
 Maintenance -, but a great Misfortune, that 
 fo much of it confifts in thefe petty Ar- 
 ticles. 
 
 Whatever Tithes it will be incommodious 
 to keep in our own Hands, we may com- 
 pound for with thofe who fliould pay them, 
 or leafe them to others. The tormer Way 
 will ufually be kinder and more obliging, 
 and fo far more eligible. Yet on the other 
 Hand, if we chule the latter, our LeiTeewill 
 probably find it his Interefl to take them in 
 Kind, which will preferve our Title to them 
 in Kind : and therefore it may at leaft be 
 expedient fometimes, in Relation to any 
 queftionable Parts of them. But if a Tenant 
 will rather give up fome of our Rights, than 
 beat the Trouble of averting them, we may 
 be under a Neceffity of doing it ourfelves. 
 And if we let any of our Tithes to the Pro- 
 prietor of what they arife from, or to whom- 
 ibever we let our Glebe, it fhould never be 
 
 I 3 for
 
 134 The BiJJjop of OxFO'^Ds 
 
 for too long a Time at the fame Rent : elfe 
 we run a great Rifque of being told, that we 
 are intitled to Nothing more. The Pcrfon 
 indeed, who makes the Agreement with us, 
 cannot think fo : and yet what even he may 
 pretend to our Succeffors, we cannot forefee. 
 But the Perfon, that comes after him, may 
 infift on it even to Us : and though the Evil 
 fhould be delayed longer, it will happen 
 much too foon. Written Agreements, dif- 
 creetly worded, may be an uleful and efFec-' 
 tual Preventive. Yet thefe, in Courfe of 
 Time, may be loft by various Accidents : 
 or Conftancy of the fame unvaried Payment 
 be alledged as a ftronger Argument on one 
 Side, than they are on the other. And if 
 either fliould prove our Cafe, contending at 
 Law with any Paiifliioner will be a very 
 undefirable Thing: and contending with a 
 powerful one may beanimpradicableThing, 
 Therefore we ought never to begin Cuftoms, 
 that may be dangerous : and if they are 
 begun, even by our PredeceiTor's Fault, and 
 yet more if by our own, we fhould think 
 how to ftop them without Delay. But the 
 leafl v/e can do, is refolutely to refufe autho- 
 
 rizing
 
 fciirth Charge to bis Clergy. 135 
 
 rizing fuch Invafions, by giving any Thing 
 under our Hands, which may but fecm an 
 Acknowledgment that what we receive is a 
 prefcript and unchangeable Payment, unlefs 
 we are very well aflured that the Law will 
 efteem it fuch. We ought rather to lofe it 
 ourfelves, than procure it by an A<ft, that 
 will prejudice our SuccelTors. Barely con- 
 tinuing to accept it unaltered, is doing more 
 than enough to their Dsfadvantage: therefore 
 we ought on no Account to go further; but 
 on the contrary, labour to procure and per- 
 petuate, if we can, fuch Evidence, as may be 
 of fervice to them. 
 
 Nor fliould we be careful only to preferve 
 cur Benefices from any Diminution of In- 
 come, but alio from any Addition of Ex- 
 pence, which would amount to the fame 
 Thing: for heavy Burthens, and very unfit 
 ones, of riotous Entertainments in particular, 
 and thofe fometimes at the mofl: improper 
 Seafons, have been introduced and eftabiiflied, 
 in many Places, by the Inconfideratenefs and 
 Supinenefs of Incumbents. We ihall do 
 well, abfolutely to break and annihilate luch 
 Cufioms, if it remains legally polTible : and 
 
 I4 if
 
 136 ^be Btfiop of OxT0Ri>*s 
 
 if not, to ufe our utmofl Influence towards 
 procuring the Confent of the Perfons con- 
 cerned, to change them into fomething elfe, 
 lefs exceptionable and more ufeful, to be 
 fecured to them as firmly, as may be ; with a 
 Covenant added, that they fhaii be entitled 
 to return to their old Ufage, if ever they are 
 denied the Benefit of the new. 
 
 Provided the above-mentioned Precautions 
 be obferved, we are much at Liberty to treat 
 our Parifliioners as kindly, as we will : and 
 very kindly we ought to treat them: never 
 permitting them, if we know it, to go 
 without any Thing, which is their Right; to 
 pay any Thing, which is not due ; or even 
 to take any Thing too dear : always making 
 them equitable Abatements, admitting every 
 tolerable Excufe for their Delays of Payment; 
 and rather chufing to lofe ever fo much by 
 them, than with any Shadow of Juftice be 
 accufed of Cruelty towards them. Yet when 
 we fliew them any Indulgence, we fliould 
 let them fee, wc are fenfible of what we do. 
 for them ; elfe they may impute it to our 
 Ignorance, not our Goodnefs. And we ought 
 not to be fo eafy with them, as to fet them 
 
 againft
 
 fourth Charge to his Clergy. 1 37 
 
 againft a Succeflbr, who cannot afford to 
 imitate us ; or difqualify ourfelves, by a pro- 
 mifcuous Kindnefs to all, from being el'pe- 
 cially kind to fuch as want. But whatever 
 Improvements we make in our Benefices, by 
 whatever juft Mer.ns, it will be a prudent 
 Guard againft Envy, as well as a right Be- 
 haviour on other Accounts, to increafe, at 
 the fame Time, either a fober modeft Hof- 
 pitality, for neither Excefs nor vain Shev^r 
 at all become our Fundionj or, which is 
 yet better, and ought never to be excluded 
 by the other, a judicious Charity ^ above 
 ail, to the induftrious and virtuous Poor, 
 extended to their Souls, as well as their 
 Bodies. 
 
 For the Purpofe of recovering or pre- 
 ferving the Rights of Vicarages, the original 
 Endowments of them may be very ufeful. 
 And thefe you are to feek for in the Regifter- 
 Books of the Diocefe of Lincoln^ out of 
 which this was taken. But I have colleded 
 Copies of fomci and can dired you to Bouks, 
 printed or manufcript, in which are Copies 
 of others ; or to that Part of the Regiller- 
 Books, in which they may be found : and 
 
 Hull
 
 138 l^he Bipop ofOxFORB^s 
 
 ihall gladly give any of you whatever Infor- 
 mation is in my Power. But you muft not 
 always conclude your prefent Rights to be 
 neither more nor lefs, than fuch an Endow- 
 ment fets forth : both becaufe there may be 
 a fubfcquent one, with Variations 5 and be- 
 caufe, where no fubfequent one appears, long 
 Cuflom, in particular Cafes, may create a legal 
 Prefumptionjthat there was one, upon which 
 that Cuflom was grounded. 
 
 For the fame Ufe, in Redorles, as well 
 as Vicarages, Terriers were direded: how 
 anciently, I cannot fay. But the 87th Canon 
 of 1603 enjoins, that the Bi(hop of each 
 Diocefe {hall procure them to be taken, by 
 the View of honeft Men in every Parifli, to 
 be appointed by him, whereof the Minlfler 
 to be one : it fpecifies the Particulars, of 
 which they fhall confift, and orders them to 
 be laid up in the Bifhop's Regiftry. How 
 often they fhall be taken, it doth not mention. 
 But plainly the Changes, which Time in- 
 troduces, particularly in the Names of the 
 Parcels and Abuttals of Glebe Lands, 
 require a Renewal of Terriers at reafonable 
 Diftances. This Canon hath been obferved 
 
 fo
 
 fourth Charge to his Clergy. 139 
 
 fo imperfedly, that of about 200 Parlrties, 
 of which this Diocefe confifts, there are 
 Terriers in the Regiftry of no more than 
 about 126 : and of moil of them only one : 
 and of thefe, not 20, fmce the Year 1685. 
 In the Convocation of 1704, Complaints 
 were made of the hke Omiliions elfewhere: 
 and in thofe of 1 7 1 o, 1714, 1 7 1 5, a Scheme 
 was formed, that where no Terrier had been 
 made for 7 Years then laft paft, (which 
 looks as if a Repetition every 7 Years was 
 intended'') the Minifter fliould make one 
 with the Church-wardens, or fuch PariHii- 
 oners as the Bifhop Ihould appoint: that 
 three intended Copies of it in Parchment 
 fliould^be figned by them; one to be ex- 
 hibited at the Bifhop's next Vifitation, the 
 fccond at the Archdeacon's, and the third put 
 in the Parilh Chefl \ But thefe Piopofals 
 having never received the Sanction of due 
 
 * Prjdeaiix, Directions to Church wardeus, § cjp. faith, 
 that the Bi(hop at every Vifitation ufually requires a new 
 Terrier. Biihop Gib/on propol'cs that there fhould be a 
 new one where there had been none iince the Reftora- 
 tjon. 
 
 '' See Wilkins, Vol. 4. P. 63S, 656, It was alfo propofed 
 that a Calendar (hould be made of thofe which were put in 
 the Regillry, ar.d that they Ihould not be delivered out, with, 
 out Security given. 
 
 Authority,
 
 Authority, are to be confidered as no more^ 
 than prudent Dired:ions r the Canon of 1 60-^ 
 ilill continues our only legal Rule. And 1 
 am very delirous to perforni the Part, which 
 it afiigns to me. But then I niuft beg your 
 Afliftance in order to my nominating proper 
 Perfons, that is, Parilhioners of the greateil 
 Probity, Knowledge, and Subflance to be 
 joined in the Work with you. Terriers 
 indeed are of more Ufe in Caufes tried before , 
 ecclefiaftical judges, than temporal : who 
 will not allow the fpiritual Judicatures to be 
 Courts of Record ; but fliil, when regularly 
 made, they will have fome Weight every 
 where. At ieaft they will be valuable and 
 authentic Informations to your SucceiTors : 
 and probably the Parishioners of future Times 
 will be alhamed to infifl on Claims, contrary 
 to what they will fee inferted under the Hands 
 of their Predeceffors, perhaps their Fathers 
 or near Relations. But then, to produce 
 thefe good Effects, indeed to prevent their 
 producing bad ones, they muft be made with 
 great Care. If there be a preceding Terrier, 
 it muft be confulted 3 if it be defcdive, the 
 Defects muft be fupplied ; if it be accurate, 
 
 there
 
 fourth Charge to bis Clergy, 141 
 
 there muft be no Variations from it in the 
 new, but where they are neceffary to render 
 Delcriptions intelligible ; or where other Al- 
 terations have been made that require them. 
 For contradictory Terriers will hurt, if not 
 deftroy, each other's Evidence. It will alfo 
 be right to exprefs in them, what peculiar 
 Burthens are incumbent on the Minifter, or 
 that there are none, as well as what Property 
 belongs to him. But if his Right, or Obli- 
 gation, to any Thing, be doubtful : either 
 no Terrier muft be made, till the Doubt is 
 removed; or it muft be fet down there as a 
 doubtful Point; but by no Means given up, 
 to pleafe any Perfon, or ferve any Purpofe 
 whatever. For Terriers, that make againft; 
 the Clergy, will do them abundantly more 
 Harm, than luch, as make in their Favour, 
 will do them Good. And laftly, though 
 it may be needlefs and inconvenient to em- 
 ploy many Perfons in drawing up a Terrier, 
 yet the more fign it, the better; efpecially of 
 Gonfiderable Perfons: for to omit any of 
 them, and multiply the Names of others, 
 will appear fufpicious. And as it may not 
 I alwavs
 
 142 ^he Bijlop ^OxfordV 
 
 always be eafy to procure fuch Hands, as 
 you could vvilh; favourable Opportunities 
 muft be prudently fought and waited for ; 
 and the Work undertaken, when they offer, 
 and not before. 
 
 Other very ufeful Precautions, of near Af- 
 finity to this of Terriers, are, that if any 
 Augmentations have been made of your Bene- 
 fices by Payments referved in Church or 
 College Leafes, by the Queen's Bounty, or 
 otherwife: or if any Agreements have been 
 entered into, between you, or your Prede- 
 ceffors, and the Patron and Ordinary, for 
 making any Exchange or Inclofures, or doing 
 any other Ad:, which affeds your Income, 
 or any Part of it, v/hcther it be confirmed by a 
 legal Decree or not: proper Evidences of thefe 
 Things fhould both be kept amongfl your pa- 
 rochial Papers, and depofited in the public 
 Office. Indeed the Law requires that Aug- 
 mentations, made by ecclefiail:ical Bodies or 
 Perfons, be entered in a Parchment Book, to 
 be kept in the Bifhop's Regidry for that End*". 
 And though Acts of Parliament, pafTed for 
 
 « 7,9 Car, 2. c. 8. § 4, 5, 6.
 
 fourth Charge to bis Clergy. 143 
 
 any of the Purpofcs above-mentioned, may j 
 be confidered as Things more notorious : yet 
 without the fame Sort of Care, the Memory 
 of thefe alfo may be loft, or fome of the Pro- 
 vilions made in them controverted. 
 
 There is ftill oneThingmore, that, amongft 
 feveral other Ufes to which it extends, may 
 be very ferviceable to afcertain the Rights of 
 Livings: I mean repeating from Time to 
 Time, the ancient Pradlice of Perambula- 
 tions : which hath been lontj freed from Su- 
 perdition , and, if preferved alfo from intem- 
 perance and tumultuous Contefts, the laftof 
 which Evils may be prevented by friendly 
 Difcourfe beforehand with the chief Inhabi- 
 tants of your own and the neighbouring 
 Parishes : the Thankfgivings, Prayers, and 
 Sentences of Scripture, with which the In- 
 jundions of Queen Elizabeth diredl it to be 
 accompanied, will render it a very pious 
 Ceremony : and the civil Benefits of it may 
 be confiderable. For though, without it, 
 there feldom will arife any Qiienion, to what 
 Pari(b, Lands, that have been long cultivated, 
 appertain; yet concerning others, in the 
 
 Whole
 
 144 ^^^ BiJJjop c/ Ox F R D V 
 
 Whole or in Part, there often doth. And 
 feme, that are worth but httle at prefent, 
 may come hereafter to be of great Value. 
 
 But, befides preferving the Incomes of 
 our Benefices from Encroachments, we arc 
 bound to preferve the Lands and Edifices, be- 
 longing to them, in good Condition. If 
 therefore we con:imit Wafte on our Glebe, or, 
 through Covetoufnefs or Neghgence, impo- 
 verifli it, or fufFer our Tenant to impoverifh 
 it, we a£l diflionourably and unjuflly: as 
 aifo, if we permit our DweUing-houfes or 
 Out-buildings to fall into Decay, for Want of 
 early orfufhcient Repair. A fmallExpencein 
 Time may prevent the NecefTity of a much 
 larger afterwards, and thus, by negledingit, 
 we may hurt ourfelves; which would doubt- 
 lefs be unwife j but defignedly throwing the 
 Burthen on our SuccefTor deferves a harfher 
 Name. And if we either fquander extrava- 
 gantly, or hoard avaritioufly, what we fave 
 thus ; it doubles the Fault. If mere Indo- 
 lence be the Caufe of our Omifiion ; it is by 
 no Means a good Principle; and produces 
 Effeds, as bad, as if it were a worfe. Nay, 
 
 "if
 
 fourth Charge to his Cl'ergy. 145 
 
 if we are influenced by the Defire of making 
 only a reafonable Provifion for our Families : 
 we have no right to provide for them by 
 wronging cur SuccclTor: and perhaps de- 
 priving our Parifliioners of the Benefit of 
 having a Minifter refident amongft them. 
 PofTibly fome may fay, that their Executors 
 muft account for whatever they leave out of 
 Order: and therefore they do no Harm. But, 
 it may be, they will leave them nothing to 
 account with : efpecially as the common 
 Law Prefers the Payment of other Debts be- 
 fore Dilapidations ^. At leafl they well 
 know, that the Law, though it will allow 
 more, than Executors commonly pretend: and 
 perhaps more, than would have prevented 
 the Damage, if applied in Time; will not 
 allow enough to repair it afterwards ; or 
 however not to compenfate moreover for the 
 Expence andTroubleof takingthat Remedy; 
 and that therefore, in all Likelihood, a Suc- 
 ceffor, to avoid Law, will chu(e rather to ac- 
 cept of lefs, than he ought to have. Now 
 driving him to this, is doing him a grofs In- 
 
 "• See Gihfonh Codex, P. 791 . 
 
 K jury;
 
 146 "The Bifhop of OxfordV 
 
 jur}^^ and that very probably when he is juft 
 comin'3: into the World in fuch Circum-* 
 fiances, that it will weigh heavy upon hirrij 
 and may put him behind hand for a long 
 Time. Some again will plead, that they 
 really cannot afford to repair their Houfes- 
 And doubtlefs the Condition of many is very 
 pitiable, and deferves the Affiftance, as well 
 as Compaillonj of their richer Neighbours 
 and Brethren, But ftill what Reafon is there 
 to think, that they, who come after them, 
 will be better able, when the Houfes are 
 grown worfe? And what mufl: it therefore 
 end in, unlefs timely Prevention be applied? 
 Others may ailedge, theirs are in Repair; and 
 no Dilapidations will be found, when they 
 leave them. But are they in fuch Repair, (o 
 fubftantial and fo decent, as a Minifter's 
 Houfe ought, that belongs to fuch a Benefice: 
 or onlyjuft habitable, and patched up to 
 hold out a little longer? Perhaps you keep 
 your Houfe in as good a Condition, as you 
 found it. But did you think your Predecef- 
 for adled well, when he left it you in no bet- 
 ter? If not, that which was his Duty, is now 
 yours. Thefe Things all Incumbents ought 
 
 t^
 
 fourth Charge to hh Cle r g t. 147 
 
 to confider: but fome more efpecially; as 
 they who have large Benefices, and they who 
 have two: which may be ordinarily fuppofed 
 equivalent to a large one. Yet thefe latter, in 
 how good Order Ibever they may, for their 
 own Sakes, keep the Houfe they ufually re- 
 iide in, have too often left the other to be 
 treated as a Farmer or Tenant pleafes : till it 
 hath grown, if not ruinous, yet very unfuit- 
 able to its next proper Inhabitant. Again, 
 rich Perfons, that are poffefTed of poor Liv- 
 ings, ought peculiarly to reflect, how noble 
 an Opportunity is put into their Hands of 
 being Benefadors to them : by repairing, or 
 if Need be, rebuilding, and fitting up, the 
 HoufeSi and improving whatever little Space 
 of Ground liesabout them, infuch Manner, as 
 will make both comfortable to the fucceeding 
 Owners. And the very different Method, 
 which they have fometimes taken, of living 
 in better Habitations themfelves, and letting 
 thefe run into Decay, is extremely ungene- 
 rous and illiberal. Yet indeed, on the other 
 Hand, making Parfonages orVicarage Houfss, 
 or the Appurtenances of them, fo large for 
 their own Convenience, as to briog on after- 
 
 K 2 wards
 
 1 48 ^be Bifidp of Oxford'/ 
 
 wards too great an Expence in fupporting' 
 them, would be a Markj either of much 
 Vanity, or little Confideration. 
 
 On this whole Subjedl I might, inftead of 
 Perfuafion, ufe Authority alone. But as the 
 latter would be much lefs pleafing to me : 
 fo I hope the former will be as effedual with 
 you. Elfe, the Laws of the Church in this 
 Nation, empower the Bifliop, if Incumbents 
 do not repair their Houfes in a decent Man- 
 ner^ to take Cognizance of the Negledt ei- 
 ther on Complaint or by voluntary Inquif-y, 
 and to proceed again ft them by eccleiiaftical 
 Cenfures; or, after admonifliing them in vain, 
 to make himfelf what Repair is needful out 
 of the Profits of their Benefices: and what 
 Proportion ofthemfliall be applied to this 
 Purpofe, is left to his Difcretion'^: but the 
 Injundlions of H. 8. Ed. 6. and Q^Eliz. 
 direded a fifth ^ And a further Conftitution 
 
 *■ Semper tamen rationabilis confideratio fit habenda ad 
 facultates ecclefiae. Conft, Edm. Si ReSior; on which hynd' 
 n<.-Qod's Note is, Quia in beiieficlo pinguiori requiruntur aedi- 
 ficia magis fumptuola quam in benclicio minus pingui. Lib. 
 3, Tit. 27. de Eccl, aedificandis. Verb. Facultates Ecckfia, 
 ¥.2^1. 
 
 f See G;7/&«'s Codex. T. 32. C. 3. P. 789, ^V. 
 
 t See ffUiins, Vol. 4. P. 5. The Ref. Leg. Eccl. Tit, de 
 Dilapidationibus, C. a. P. 77. dire6ls oaly a 7th, 
 
 of
 
 fourth Charge to his Clergy. 149 
 
 Ki^Othobon, publillicd in the Year 1268, ex- 
 prefsly orders, that fuch a SequeOiration be 
 made in the Cafe of Houfes fallen down, as 
 well as decayed^. And the Ref. Leg, EccL 
 had provided in the lame Manner for the 
 fame Thing', in Conformity with evident 
 Reafon. Indeed, where no Houfe hath been 
 for a long Time, compelling the Incumbent 
 to rebuild one may feem hard. But is it not 
 harder ftill, that his Parifliioners and Succef- 
 fors fhould never more enjoy an Advantage, 
 intended to be a perpetual one? At lead:, 
 whatever he may think of his legal Obliga- 
 tion, he fhould confider, whether he is not 
 in Confcience obliged to devote fome fitting 
 Share of his Income to this Ufe. Surely, 
 if he doth not think it a ftrid Duty, he mufl 
 think it, nnlefs there be fome peculiar Reafoa 
 to the contrary, an excellendy good Adion. 
 And fuppofing that what he can lay by, 
 will amount only to a tolerable Beginning: 
 yet others may, and probably will, fooner 
 or later, add to it, and complete the Work, 
 
 »> GibfonS Codex, Tit. 32. C. 3. P. 7S9. 
 » Tit. dcDilap.C. 2. P. 77. 
 
 K 3 But
 
 150 ^h Bijbop cf Oxford's 
 
 But whatever Care you ought to take, and 
 I ought to fee that you take, in Relation to 
 your Houfes : there is ftill a much greater, 
 for the fame Reafons and more, due from 
 you, who are Redlors, in Relation to your 
 Chancels : and I am yet more exprefsly au- 
 thorized, by Statute-Law as well as Canons 
 to fuperintend this Matter. Chancels are the 
 snoft facred Part of the Church : and the 
 whole Church ought to be preferved in a 
 Condition, worthy of that Being, whofe it 
 is J and fit to infpire his Worfliippers with 
 Reverence. The Light of Nature taught the 
 Heathens to adorn their Temples^. God 
 himfelf provided, by exprefs and minute 
 Diredions, for the Beauty of his Sanctuary 
 amongfl the Jews: the ancient Chriftians 
 imitated thefe Precedents, as foon as ever the 
 Danger of Perfecution ceafed^: and if the 
 following x-^ges carried their Notions of Mag- 
 nificence and Ornament in religious Edi- 
 fices too far, as undoubtedly they did, in 
 heaping up Treafures there, which had much 
 
 ^ Her, Od. 15. Lib. 2. and Sat. 2. Lib. 2. v. 103, 
 104, 105. 1 SccBit'gham. 
 
 better
 
 fourth Charge to UsCl'^.kgy, 151 
 
 better have been diftributed to the Poor, 
 than kept to provoke the Envy and Avarice 
 of the Great : yet in this Country, for feveral 
 Generations pall, the contrary Extreme hath 
 prevailed to fo (liamefal a Degree, as muft 
 needs give Papifts an exceeding great Difguffc 
 to Proteftantifm ; and Infidels no fmail Con- 
 tempt of Chriftians, as either defpifing in- 
 wardly the Religion they profefs, or bsing 
 too fordid to pay it the common outward 
 Marks of Refpedt. 
 
 Now what Hope can we have of bringing 
 our People back, unlefs we fet them the 
 Example? What can we fay to our Parilhio- 
 ners about their Churches, or to Lay-Impro- 
 priators about their Chancels; or, fiy what 
 we will, how can it be expedlcd they ihould 
 mind us, if we are blameable ourfelves on the 
 fame Head ? In refpedl of their Duty in this 
 Point, and fome Concern, (indeed not a lit- 
 tle) which you have with it, I intend to fpeak 
 at large, if God fpare my Life and Plealth to 
 another Vilitation. But at prefent I confine 
 myfelf to what is more immediately and in- 
 tirely the Province of the Clergy. Ancient- 
 ly the Repair of the whole Church was in- 
 
 K 4 cumbent
 
 152 ^he Bifiop of OxfordV 
 
 cumbent on the Redor, as of common 
 right '^. I beheve it continues to be.fo ftill 
 \n. other nations : but the Cuflom of ours 
 hath releafed us from the largeft Part of the 
 Burthen : for which Reafon we ought to bear 
 the Remainder very chearfully j and exceed 
 what in Stridnefs might be demanded of us. 
 Plainncfs of Appearance, though carried almofl 
 to the Borders of Negled, in Relation to our 
 own Perfons and Abodes, may be a ju- 
 dicious and inftrudive Mark of SimpHcity 
 and Humility. But it will be much more 
 fo, if, at the fame Time, we are liberal in 
 providing for the Honour of facred Things. 
 And if, inftead of that, we take juft the con- 
 trary Part; dwell, as the Prophet exprefles 
 himfelf, m ceiling Houfesy and let the Houfi 
 of' God He wajie^'y fuffer the principal Part 
 of it, and that with which we are intruded, 
 to be in a worfe Condition, than any common 
 Room we live in; think Nothing too good 
 ior ourfelves, and every thing good enough 
 for him and his Service; it is an exceeding 
 bad Sign; and muft have a moft undefirable 
 ipffed on all who obferveit. I believe Indeed 
 
 r-. 
 
 "" SceConJf. Othoh, Tit. 17. and John d? A then. Verb. 
 ''anctltcs, n Hag. i. 4. 
 
 that
 
 fourth Charge to his Clergy. 153 
 
 that the Chancels, which belong to Incum- 
 bents, will be generally found in the beft 
 Condition of any. Yet fome even of thefe, 
 I fear, have fcarce been kept in neccflary pre- 
 fent Repair, and others by no Means duly 
 cleared from Annoyances, which mufl: gradu- 
 ally bring them to Decay: Water under- 
 mining and rotting the Foundations, Earth 
 heaped up agalnfl: the Outfide, Weeds and 
 Shrubs growing upon them, or Trees too 
 near them. Where fufficient Attention is paid 
 to thefe Things; too frequently the Floors 
 are meanly paved, or the Walls dirty or 
 patched, or the Windows ill glazed, and it 
 may be in Part llopt up, or the Roof not 
 ceiled; or they are damp, offenfive and un- 
 wholefome, for Want of a due Circulation of 
 Air. Now it is Indifpenlibly requifite to 
 preferve them not only ftanding and fife, but 
 clean, neat, decent, agreeable: and it is 
 highly fit to go further, and fuperadd, not a 
 light and trivial Finery, but fuch Degrees of 
 proper Dignity and Grandeur, as we are able, 
 confidently with other real Obligations. Per- 
 haps they may have been long, or perhaps al- 
 ways, as mean as they are at prefent. But 
 
 the
 
 154 ^/'''? Bifiop of OxfokdV 
 
 the Meannefs which m Ages of lefs EIc^ 
 gance might give no Offence, mayjuftly 
 give more than a Httle now. And why 
 fhould not the Church of God, as well 
 as every Thing elfe about us, partake of the 
 Improvements of later Times ? In feveral 
 of your Chancels, I doubt not, every Thing 
 which I have been recommending is done. 
 In others you have refolved to do it: and if 
 any have not rightly confidered the Matter 
 before, they muft be fenfible that it was my 
 Duty to admonifh them, and is theirs to re- 
 gard the Admonition. For, as to the Ex- 
 cufes, which may be pleaded under this 
 Head of Chancels, they have been obviated, 
 under the former of Parfonage-Houfes. 
 
 It only remains now, that I fpeak briefly 
 to the third Point, our Obligations in rer 
 gard to the Temporalities of our Benefices, 
 when we have a near View of quitting them: 
 whether by Death, which may be near us gt 
 any Time, and muft be fo in old Age; or 
 any other Way. Some> becaufe they were 
 not to continue Incumbents long, have itt 
 themfeives to confult their own Intereits, by 
 Negledl of all expenfive Duties, by commit- 
 
 ting
 
 fourth C/jarge to his Clergy. i 55 
 
 tlnf^ Wafte, by allowing others to commit it. 
 A Manner of proceeding, in all Cafes unjuft: 
 when they are removing to a better Income, 
 peculiarly di (honourable: when they fee their 
 latter End approach, fliockingly wicked; 
 unlefs the Decay of their Faculties furnifli 
 fome Excufe for them. Rejeding therefore 
 all fuch Pradices with juft Abomination, we 
 are bound, in thefe Circumflances,toconfider 
 ferioully, what our paft Faults and Omif- 
 fions, relating to this Article, have been: to 
 undo, as far as v/e can, what we have done 
 amifs: to do immediately what we ought to 
 have done fooner : to make the Amends we 
 are able, if any Harm hath happened by the 
 Delay; and indeed, fome Amends for the 
 Chance there was, that Harm migjit have 
 happened. But how rightly foever we may 
 have aded hitherto, there will ftill be Duties, 
 peculiar to the Time, which I am now fup- 
 pofing; that we lecure to our Succeffors, 
 whatever Books, Deeds, and Papers, relating 
 to our Benefices, came down to us from our 
 Predeccflbrs; whatever Evidences our own 
 Incumbency hath furnifhed; in a Word, 
 whatever Notices may be of Importance, con- 
 
 cerning
 
 1 56 *The Bifiop of O X F o R d'j 
 
 cerning the Rights, or the Value, of the 
 Living we enjoy. But particularly, if we 
 have been fo inconliderate, as to make any 
 long Agreement, which a fucceeding Mi- 
 nifter may be in Danger of miftaking, or 
 others may be tempted to fet up, for an ef- 
 tablilhed Prefcription -, as may eafily happen 
 if it was done many Years ago : we ought to 
 leave them the moft authentic Proofs of 
 the real State and Truth of the Cafe. Some 
 have through Indolence omitted thefeThings. 
 Others have defignedly kept in their own 
 Power, or left in that of their Executors, 
 all fuch Means of Information ; that their 
 SuccefTors, in order to receive them, may 
 be bound to behave reafonably and kindly, 
 as they are pleafed to term itj that is, may 
 be under a Ncceffity of fubmitting to what- 
 ever unreafonable Things fhall be demanded 
 of them j in refpedl of Dilapidations, or any 
 other Point. This, you cannot but fee, 
 would be making an unfaithful Ufe of thofe 
 Lights, which have been intruded with you 
 by others, and an oppreffive one of thofe 
 which you have added yourfelves. Or fup- 
 pofing that only equitable Requefts are made
 
 fourth Charge io his Cle^gY, 157 
 
 to a SuccelTor, and that he refufes them: 
 fiill It is not a Chriftian Part, to prevent this 
 Injury by threatning, and much lefs to re- 
 venge it by doingjwhat in all Likelihood would 
 be a far greater Injury; and may extend its 
 bad Effeds beyond the Perfon who hath 
 given the Provocation, to all that fliall fill 
 his Place hereafter, though perfectly inno- 
 cent ; and to every one that might have (hared 
 in the Advantage of their enjoying a more 
 plentiful Income. Nor is it fufficient, that 
 you difapprove fuch Condudt, unlefs you 
 make a due Provifion, that your Reprefen- 
 tatives when you are gone fliall not be guil- 
 ty of it. You may have a better Opinion of 
 them, in this Refpedl, than they deferve: at 
 leaft, there can be no Harm in taking a little 
 more Care of fuch a Matter, than might be 
 abfolutely neceflary. 
 
 One powerful Motive, to be careful in all 
 the Points which I have been mentioning, 
 is, that few Things will contribute more to 
 your maintaining while you live, and leaving 
 when you die, the Charader of Men of Pro- 
 bity and Honour, amongft your Neighbours 
 
 in
 
 SjS The BiJJ:op of OxfordV 
 
 in general, and your Brethren of the Clergy 
 in particular, than your diligent and difin- 
 terefted Attention to a6l worthily and kindly 
 in Relation to your SuccelTors, though pro- 
 bably you know them not, or however have 
 no perfonal Connedion with th^ern. Nor will 
 many Things throw a blacker or more lad- 
 ing Stain upon Perfons, than a low Cunning, 
 or a felfifh indifference, in thefe Affairs. 
 But indeed Confcience, as well as Reputa- 
 tion> is deeply concerned in the Matter, as 
 I doubt not, but you are all fenflble. Nor 
 furely will any one elfe imagine, either that 
 my Exhortations to you, any more than 
 yours to your Hearers, imply you to be 
 guilty of, or cfpecially inclined to any of the 
 Faults, againft which they are levelled : or 
 that, by fpeaking thus long of your worldly 
 Affairs, I feem to think them of Weight 
 equal, or comparable, to your fpiritual 
 Fundions. But the befl of us have Need to 
 be admonlfhed of all our Duties, be they 
 Duties of higher Rank or lower^ each in 
 their Turns. Temporal Things are not to 
 be iiegle(5led : and thofe leaft of all, which 
 
 are
 
 fourth Charge lo bis Clergy. 1^9 
 
 are fet apart for the Service of Things eter- 
 nal. But then we muft be watchful over 
 them, in order to employ them, as they v^^ere 
 meant to be employed: and if we preferve 
 and tranfmit them ever fo faithfully, but 
 ufe them unfaithfully j fludying only or 
 chiefly to enrich or advance ourfelves, or 
 gratify our fenfual Appetites, or Love of Di-* 
 verfions, or of elej^ant Appearance, by 
 Means of thofe Revenues, which were given 
 us for Ends widely different : (partly to make 
 a comfortable and moderate, not a fuper- 
 fluous and invidious Provifion for ourfelve<5 
 and ours, and partly to ferve the PurpofeS 
 of Religion and Charity) we offend God, 
 fin againft our Brethren, and provoke Men 
 to take from us what they are too ready to 
 fay we do no Good with: as indeed little 
 would be done, v/ere fuch a Conduft ge- 
 neral. It is true, and the Laity ought to 
 confider it a great deal more than they do« 
 that we have very few of us much, if any 
 Thing, to fpare. But they who have, fhould 
 ii^t their Light J]:inc before Men, and be fecn 
 to lay it out in pious Ufes prudently chofen : 
 
 and
 
 %66 The Bifiop of Oxford'^ . 
 
 and the pooreft fliould occafionally give what 
 Alms they can ; and make Amends for their 
 inability on this Head, by a double Dili- 
 gence in ufeful Infl:ru6lion, pious Example, 
 and obliging Behaviour, to the meaneft of 
 their People. Without a remarkable Degree 
 of fuch Care, we fliall have few or no 
 Friends: and notv/ithftanding it, we (hall 
 have many Enemies, This is hard Treat- 
 ment : but angry Complaints will only make 
 it worfe ; and the moll: reafonable Expof- 
 tulations not much better, unlefs we firfl 
 conlider, wherein we are faulty or defedtive^ 
 and amend itj wherein we are unjuftly 
 blamed or fufpe(5ted, and clear ourfelves; 
 then patiehtly perfevere in well-doing, in 
 all I'hings approviiig ourfelves as the Miniften 
 of God, by Purenefsy by Knowledge , by Long- 
 fuffering^ by Kindnefsy by Love unfeigned, by 
 the Wo7'd of Truth t by the Armour of Righte- 
 teoufnefs on the right Hand and on the left, 
 through Honour and DiJJ:onoury through evil 
 Report and good Report"", Other Means, if 
 they could fupport us, cannot enable us to 
 anfwer the End of our Inftitution. But by 
 
 « 2 Cor. vi. 4, 6, 7, 8. 
 
 thefe
 
 fourth Charge to his Clergy. 1 6 i 
 
 thefe we may ftill hope not only to confute, 
 but which muft ever be our chief Aim, iF 
 pofTible to convert, at leaft to mollify our 
 Adverfaries; and To recommend ourfelves 
 to more impartial Perfons, that they may 
 receive with Meekiiefs the engrafted Word^ 
 which is able to fave their Souls^. Or fliould 
 we, after all, in RefpeCl of ever fo many, 
 labour in vain, and fpend cur Strength for 
 Naughty yet our Judgmerit is with the Lord, 
 and our Work with our God'^, 
 
 P James i. zt. i Ifa. xlix. 4. 
 
 A CHARGE
 
 CHARGE 
 
 DELIVERED TO THE 
 
 CLERGY of the D I o c E s E 
 
 OF 
 
 OXFORD, 
 
 In the Year 1753.
 
 Reverend Brethren, 
 
 I Have never attempted in my former Vifi- 
 tations, nor iLall I in this, to entertain 
 you with any Thing new and curious : think- 
 ing it much fitter for me, and better for you, 
 to fpeak to you of fuch Points, immediately 
 relating to common Pradice, as, though eafily 
 underftood, are too frequently difregarded. 
 With this Viev/ I have gone through the 
 principal Parts of your Dutv, as parochial 
 Miniftcrs, in Rerpect both of Spirituals and 
 Temporals. But beiides what is wholly 
 incumbent on yourfelves, in fome things you 
 are jointly concerned with your Church- 
 wardens: and in others, though not exprefsly 
 commiflloned by Law to entcrpole, you may 
 do it neverthelcls, with peculi^ir Propriety, 
 Weight, and Influence. 
 
 Lj Of
 
 i66 T/6^ Bipop of Oxford'; 
 
 Of the former Sort are thofe Offences 
 againft Religion and Morals, which the 
 Church-wardens are bound by Oath to pre- 
 fentj and the Incumbent, or his Curate, 
 impowercd and charged by the i 13th and 
 following Canons to join with them in pre- 
 fenting, if need bej or to prefent alone, if 
 they refufe. .This naturally implies, what 
 the 26th Canon expreffcs, that the Minifter 
 is to urge the Church-wardens to perform 
 that Part of their Office. Indeed your firft 
 Endeavour fhould be, by due Inftrudionsand 
 Exhortations, to hinder fuch Offences : your 
 next, by due Reproofs, public or private, to 
 amend them. But if both prove ineffec- 
 tual, what remains is, to get them corrected 
 by Authority. I am perfectly fenfible, that 
 both Immorality and Irreligion are grown 
 almoft beyond the Reach of ecclefiaftical 
 Power : which having in former Times 
 been very unwarrantably extended, hath 
 fince been very unjuftly and imprudently 
 cramped and weakened many Ways. I am 
 fenfible alfo, that fometimes Church-war- 
 dens, nay even Minifters, are fo dependent 
 on PerfonSj who deferve to be prefented, 
 
 that
 
 fifth Charge to his ChZKQV. i6y 
 
 that they cannot prefent them ^vithout im- 
 minent Hazard of ruining themfclves : and 
 farther fiill, that fome Offenders, if they 
 were thus expofed, would only become 
 worfe, and fet themfelves to make others 
 worfe ; while Ibme again, as the ApoPJe ex- 
 prefTes it in this very Cale, would he /wal- 
 lowed up icitb overmuch Sorrow^. Now 
 furely it cannot have been defigned by our 
 gracious Redeemer, or the Rulers of his 
 Church, that the Power of fpiritual Cen- 
 fures, which the fame Apoftle hath twice 
 declared the Lord to have given for Edifi- 
 cation, not for Defrii^ion^, fhould be exer- 
 cifed in Circumftances like thefe. There- 
 fore when Circumftances are evidently and 
 undeniably of this Kind, I think you fhould 
 not infift on your Church-wardens prefent- 
 ing. But there is much more Danger of their 
 being guilty of toogrcatRemiflhefSjthan run- 
 ning into over much Rigour. And therefore 
 youmuftadvifeand intreuthem to makePre- 
 fentments of Sinners, where probable it wi.ll 
 be ufeful; and to contemn the Difpleafureof 
 bad People, when it can have no extremely ill 
 Conlequences, (of which there is ccmmor.ly 
 
 * 2 Cor. ii. 7. ^2 Cor. x. 8. and xiii. i . 
 
 L 4 much
 
 1 68 ^he BiJJjop ^Oxford'^ 
 
 much more Fear than is neceflary^ for the 
 Hope of their Amendment and the Good of 
 others round them. The very Office of 
 Church-wardens obliges them to this : their 
 Oath yet more firmly. And if they are 
 backward ftill, after being told it dothj you 
 mufl acquaint them, that you are directed 
 by the 26th Canon, (in the Execution of 
 v.'hich however, as in all Points of DifcipHne, 
 Diicretion fhould be ufed,) to refufe them 
 the holy Communion; not indeed for every 
 Negled of prtfenting Offences, but if they 
 wilfully neglecft it in defperate Defiance of 
 their Oath, when they are urged to it by 
 their Neighbours, their Miniiler, or Ordi- 
 nary : for fo the fame Canon defcribes the 
 Cafe : in which Cafe likewife you will in- 
 form them, the Court is authorized, by Ca- 
 non 1 1 7j to proceed againft them for Perjury. 
 But, alon.g with thefe Terrors, you will be 
 fure to join fitting Encouragements, You 
 will prcmife to defend them to the PariOii- 
 oners, and even to the Perfon prefented, as 
 doing only their duty. You will aflure 
 them, as you may, firfl, that the Court will 
 take Notice of their Prefentments, no far- 
 ther, than is proper^ fo that they (hall not 
 
 incur
 
 Jifth Charge io I?is Clergy, 169 
 
 incur the Difpleafure of the Offenders and 
 their Friends for Nothing ; than, that it 
 will proceed, not with a View to Gain, but 
 to Reformation and Example ; not with 
 excetfive, nor, if it can be avoided, with the 
 utmofi: Rigour, but with Equity and Mo- 
 deration. 
 
 If all this be unfuccefsful, you mufl:, in 
 Cafes that reqi:ire it, offer to join v/ith them, 
 or even reiolve to prefent wit'nout them. 
 But you mull: never take any Step in thefe 
 Matters, much leis the more extraordinary 
 Steps from Motives of Refcntment, Intereft, 
 or Party. If fuch Inducements can be with 
 any Colour of Reafon imputed to you, they 
 will fo grievoufly diicredit what you do, tha£ 
 probably you had better do Nothing. But 
 only take Care to fhew, that you adl merely 
 from good Intention, accompanied with 
 Temper and Prudence, after trying gentler 
 Alethods in vain : and fom.e will vindicate, 
 and even applaud you: more will inwardly 
 and filently refpedt you : and the Number ot 
 the reft will not be formidable. 
 
 But then whoever brings a Complaint, 
 muft enable the Court to take due Cogni- 
 zance
 
 170 The Bijljop of Oxfo'rd''s 
 
 zance of it: elfe Prefentments v/ill be de- 
 fpifed J and the Coiifcqutnces be worfe, than 
 if they had not been made. Evidence muft 
 of Neceffity be furnifhed : otherwife there 
 can be no Proceeding. Expenccs, I hope I 
 may promife, will be as low as poffible; 
 and they (hould be cheerfully born for the 
 Good of the Parifh and the Public. It is not 
 reafonable that the Court fliould bear them. 
 Temporal Courts never do. And beddes, 
 there is Room for plaulible, though unjuft, 
 Sufpicions of Partiality, where the Judge 
 appears to be in Effwd Profecutor too, and is 
 intereded in condemning the Party accufed. 
 When PerfoDS are prefented, you muft 
 ufe your beft Endeavours to make them fjrry, 
 not merely that they are in Danger of being 
 punillied, but principally that they have 
 finned : and in Proportion as you fucceed in 
 that, recommend them to fuch Favour, as can 
 be fliewnthem. When Perfonsareexcommu- 
 nicated, (which I heartily wifh no one ever 
 ■was but for Crimes, though indeed a wilful 
 Contempt of Authority is a great Crime) you 
 muft pref^ them to confider ferioufly, how 
 they would be affeded, if a Pbyfician or a 
 
 Lawyer
 
 fifth Charge /<? /j/V C l e R g y . 171 
 
 Lawyer of Eminence pronounced their Cafe 
 defpcrate J and of how mixh greater Impor- 
 tance the Concerns of Eternity are, than 
 thofe of Time. You muO: alfo admonidi 
 them, that flighting a Cenfurc, palled on 
 them for th;.ir Amendment, will make their 
 Condition ftill more deplorable. And when 
 they have been denounced txcomiTj/.nicate, 
 by the 851]! Canon, the Church-wardens 
 are to fee, that in every Meeting of the Con- 
 gregation they be kept out of the Church. 
 Nor mufl; you fufFcr them to be Sureties 
 for Children in Baptlfm, to receive the holy 
 Eucharift cr to haveChriftian Burial. Far- 
 ther, if they continue without Abfolution 
 for three Monihs, the 65th Canon direcls 
 you to declare them excommunicate in the 
 Parirh Church every half Year; that others, 
 meaning fuch as have no necelTary Connec- 
 tions with them, may thereby be admo- 
 nifhed to refrain their Company, and ex- 
 cited the rather to procure out a Writ de 
 Excommu?ncato capiendo: that is, if the Cir- 
 cumftances of the Cafe make it requifite. 
 Again, when Perfons do Penance, you muft 
 be diligent to make tiiem ferioufly fenfible 
 
 of
 
 772 7/> Bljljop of OxfordV 
 
 of the Ukfulnefs of fuch Difcipline 5 and 
 the urifpeakable Obligations they have to the 
 Gofpel of Chrill, which alone alTures Men 
 of Fcrgivenefs on any Terms. And laftly, 
 both on all fach, and all other fit Occafions, 
 you mufl remind your People, that however 
 the Cenfures of the Church may be relaxed 
 or evaded, the final Judgment of God on 
 cbftinate Sinners is both unavoidable and 
 infupportable. 
 
 Befides the Prefentment of Perfons who 
 give GiFtnce, you are concerned likev^'ife in 
 that of Things belonging to the Church, 
 which are not kept in good Repair and 
 Order, 
 
 I have already fpoken to you concerning 
 the Repair of your Houfes and Chancels : 
 and enlarged on the Reafons, why both, but 
 efpecialiy the latter, (liould be always pre- 
 ferved not only in a firm and U^t^ but de- 
 cent and refpedable State. Now the fame 
 Reafons hold in regard to the reft of the 
 Church : and after you have fct the Example 
 in your own Part, you may with Reputation 
 and Weight call on your Pariflioners to do 
 what is proper in theirs. And indeed you are 
 
 bound
 
 ffth Charge to JjIsC'lekOy, 173 
 
 bound to it. For, as John o^ Atbon hath juftly 
 obferved % Licet per confuetiidinem exoneretur 
 Redlor a Jiimptibus prcpfiandis, non tamcn exi- 
 miiur a cura & Jhlicitudine impendendd. 
 Thus far even the Body of the Church is 
 ftill under your Infpedlion ; and if any Thing 
 be remarkably amifs there, and you take no 
 Notice i good and confiderate Perfons will 
 lament it, as a bad Sign and of bad Confe- 
 quence: others will make your Indifference 
 a Plea to excufe their own j and yet while 
 they are glad of it, will be likely enough to 
 condemn you for it : and perhaps be led by it 
 to think meanly of Religion, as well as of 
 you. Belides, Church-wardens have often 
 but little Senfe of Propriety in thcfe Matters: 
 therefore you (liould labour to give them a 
 Senfe of it: convince them, by Reafon and 
 Scripture, of the Hono'ir due to tb.e Houfe 
 of God: fhew them, that their own Honour 
 too is intereiicd 5 that a Church in a handfome 
 Condition is a Credit to the whole Paridi ; 
 and in particular to the Officers, who have 
 put it in that Condition, and whofe Names 
 will be long remembered on that Account. 
 They are often afraid of the Expence. Argue 
 
 ' Csr.Ji. Othh, 17. verb, ad he tcntntur. P. 113. 
 
 wath
 
 174 ^h^ Bifiop of Oxford* s 
 
 with them, that Things may be done gra- 
 dually, and To the Expence be rendered almoft 
 imperceptible: perfuade them to lefTen their 
 Expenccs in needlefs Matters ; in eating and 
 drinking at Vilitations, and on other Occa- 
 fion'^j fometimes to Excels^ never to any good 
 Purpofe ; and obftrve to them, how much 
 fighter and more commendable it would be, 
 to lay out or lay up that Money for proper 
 Ufes: how Oiameful indeed, to fquander it in 
 Riot and Folly, and be never the better, 
 but the worfe the next Dayj when they 
 might difpofe of it fo, as to fee the good 
 Effeds for Years, and have them feen for 
 Ages. If llill you cannot influence the 
 prefent Church-wardens, try their Succef- 
 iors. You have a concurrent Right with the 
 Paridiioners in chuling them ; and if your 
 Opinions differ, you are to chufe one, they 
 another: unlefs there be a Cuftom to the 
 contrary. Surely then, within fome reafon- 
 able Time, you may get fuch as will hearken 
 to you. If you fail of Succefs that Way, 
 defire your People to rcfledl hov/ their Money 
 goes : not in Fees of Viiitations, which are 
 no higher now, than when the Value of 
 
 Money
 
 ffih Charge to kis Clergy. 175 
 
 Money was thrice, perhaps five Times, 
 higher, but in Extravagance and Intempe- 
 rance : that therefore they ought not to 
 complain of the Court, but of their own 
 Officers J indeed ought to difailow the wrong 
 and idle Articles of their Accounts ; and may 
 be affured, the Court will fupport them in 
 doing fo. 
 
 Sometimes the Church- wardens are willing 
 to lay out the Money as they ought, but the 
 Parifhioners unwilling. In that Cafe you 
 mud acquaint the former, that no Man's 
 Confent is wanted for their repairing and 
 keeping in good Order, both the Church, 
 and every Thing belonging to it, which is 
 either neceffary, or which they found there: 
 nor is the Confent of every Man rcquilite, 
 but of the Majority only of a Parifh-Meeting 
 duly called, for adding any Thing new, 
 provided the Ordinary ijpprove it. However, 
 they fliould do their utmoft, and you lliould 
 afiift them, to procure the Concurrence of all 
 the Parifhioners ; or at lead:, of as many as 
 poflible : to whom you will reprefent for this 
 End, that a moderate Expence now will pre- 
 vent a much crreater hereafter: that almoin all 
 6 ' the
 
 iy6 The Bijhop of Oxford'x 
 
 the Churches in the Nation were built many 
 Ages ago, and a very great Part of them 
 
 about the fame Time: that without conftant 
 andfubrtantial Rf^pairSjin another Generation 
 or another Century, they will be falling at 
 the fame Time 3 and how will they be re- 
 built ? Tile Inhabitants, if we may guefs 
 from what we fee at prefent, will be both lefs 
 able and lefs indined. As for Help from 
 Briefs: thofe for other Things produce but 
 little J but thofe for Churches extremely 
 little -y to the great Shame indeed of Perfons, 
 who call themfelves Chriftians : and you 
 fiiould labour to rectify their Prejudices on 
 this Head, and excite them to be more 
 charitable. But God knows whether they 
 will ; and if hereafter they fhould, what can 
 be hoped from it, when almoft every Parifh 
 in the Land will want a Brief ? In many, it 
 is to be feared there will be no Churches j 
 in others, wretchedly mean ones; to the 
 Contempt of all Religion amongft Infidels, 
 andoftheProtcflantReligionamongftPapifts. 
 Repeat and inculcate it therefore on your 
 People, that they moiil taka Care of the 
 Churches they have : if not, their Poflerity 
 
 will
 
 ffth Charge to his Clergy. 177 
 
 will run the Rifque of having none. Too 
 many will fcarcely be moved even by that 
 Confideration : but there is the more Need 
 of moving fuch as you can ; and, getting 
 into a Condition of moving more, by all 
 proper Methods of recommending the Gof- 
 pel and yourfelves. 
 
 But to Perfons of Rank and Figure in 
 your Parlflies, one fliould hope you might 
 apply with very fair Profped; of Succefs. 
 To thefe you may furely reprefent at favou- 
 rable Seafons, that labouring People part 
 very hardly with the Money, which they 
 get very hardly: that therefore their Superiors 
 lliould not only ufe their Influence and Ex- 
 ample to make them willing, but indeed 
 fhould do for them what perhaps they are 
 almoft as unable to do, as they are unu'llling; 
 efpecially what goes any Length beyond Re- 
 pairs abfolutely neceflary : for that People of 
 low Degree, though they may have fome 
 Notion of Ncatnefs and elegance, yet will 
 murmur grievoufly to pay much for it in 
 their Churches, and Part of their ill Flumour 
 will fall on the Doctrine taught there: that 
 efpecially if they are Tenants, their Concern 
 
 M in
 
 178 "The Bifiop of Oxford'^ 
 
 in [the Place being temporary, and poilibly 
 alfo fhort or uncertain, they will of Courfe 
 endeavour to (hift oft the Burthen from 
 themfelves: but that Landlords have a mors 
 lafting Intereft, and will find thek AccounC 
 better in doing Things early at their owrr« 
 Coft, than in letting them run on, till the 
 Coft is much greater : for then, in fome 
 Shape or other, it mull come out of their 
 Pockets. With thefe Confiderations you will 
 not fail to join others of a higher Nature : 
 that lacred Fabrics are appropriated to the 
 nobleft of Ufes, the Worfhip of the great 
 God j and to preferve or put them in a Con- 
 dition fuitable to it is one very proper Method 
 of expreffing and cherifhing a Senfe of Piety 
 in their own Minds, and fpreading it through 
 their Families, Neighbours and Dependants j 
 whereas, by fuftering his Houfe to be an; 
 Objecfl of Contempt and Scorn, while per- 
 hapstheyfpare Nothing to beautify their own, 
 they will be underdood, and will tempt alf 
 around them, to defpife the Service perform- 
 ed there, and him to whom it is paid: that 
 repairing and embellifliing their Churches 
 will employ the Poor full as beneficially, as- 
 
 adorning
 
 fifth Charge to his Clergv. 179 
 
 adorning their Seats and Gardens, and pro- 
 cure them a much better grounded, and 
 niore general, Efteem. Indeed it is fur- 
 prifing, that Noblemen and Gentlemen will 
 fquander vaU: Sums in the Gratification of 
 private Luxury and Vanity, for which more 
 condemn than applaud them -, and not con- 
 fider, that much fmaller Sums beftowed on 
 public Works, efpecially in Honour of Re- 
 ligion, would gain them the Admiration of 
 a whole Country 5 and the peculiar Blefiing 
 of many, whom they would thus eafe from 
 Burthens : befides that they might fhcw their 
 good Tafte, if that be the favourite Point 
 with them, no lefs in one Way than the other. 
 But even HeathenWriters have obferved long 
 ago, that expenfive perfonal Indulgence, and 
 mean- fpirited Parfimony in what regards the 
 Cotnmunity, are often Companions, and al- 
 ways ill Symptoms'^. 
 
 But you may prefs the Obligation of re- 
 pairing and ornamenting yet more ftrongly, 
 both on fuch of the Nobility and Gentry, 
 and on fuch Colleges andecclefiafticalPerfons 
 
 *Cic.pro Tlacco, Hat: OJ.L. 2. \^.Sat.L. z. z. 103, 104, 
 
 M 2, (at 
 
 105.
 
 1 So Ihe Bipop of Ox for d'^ 
 
 or Bodies, as are Impropriators : and likewife 
 on the Leflbes of thefe latter ; becaufe they 
 have a more beneficinl IntereO: in the Eftate, 
 than the LefTors. Being poffelTtd of the 
 greater Share of what was originally given for 
 the Support of the Service and the Fabric, 
 they are bound, at lead in Confcience, to take 
 Care of both, if it be needful : but of one 
 Part of the Fabric, the Chancel, they are 
 indifputably bound by Law to take Care. 
 And vet too commonly even thofe amoneft 
 them, who fliculd be the moft attentive to 
 this Point, ftrangely negledt itj or throw it 
 on their Tenants, who they know will of 
 Courfe neglecl it; and concern themfelves no 
 farther. So their Chancels are only in fuch 
 Sort of Repair, as their Barns and Out- 
 houfes. Now handfome Benefa(5i:ions to put 
 them in a better Condition, given from Time 
 to Time, and efp.ciaJly when good Fines 
 are received, would fhew Piety and Genero- 
 fity at once; would abate the unjuft Envy 
 and Hatred, to which academical and eccle- 
 fiaftical Owners of Eftates are liable; and 
 fct an Example, which others might pro- 
 bably imitate. 
 
 I have
 
 fifih Charge to his Cleugv. i8i 
 
 I have alrcidy faid, in Ipeiklng of Chan- 
 cels, that the Ornaments of lacrcd Places 
 ought not to be Hght and gaudy, but modeft 
 and grave. Ai-nongfl: thefe a very proper 
 one, of the clieaper Kind, is, writing on 
 the Walls chofen Sentences of Scripture. 
 This was done as early as the 4th Century ^ : 
 but in Procefs of Time ceafed to be done, 
 at lea ft in the vulgir Tongus : and being 
 reltorcd at the Reformation, was forbidden, 
 as promoting that Caufe, by Billiop Bonner 
 in Qn^een Marys Pvcign^. It not only diver- 
 lifies the Walls very agreeably and decently, 
 but affords ufeful Matter for Meditation to 
 the People, before the Service begins ; and 
 may afford them ufeful admonition, when 
 their Eyes and Thoughts are wandering in the 
 Gourfe of it. For thefe Roafons, I prefume, 
 the 8 2d Canon directs, that fuch Sentences 
 be written in convenient Places; andlikewife, 
 that the ten Commandments be fct 'upon the 
 Eaft End of every Church and Chapel : to 
 which undoubtedly the Creed and Lord's 
 Prayer, though not mentioned in the Canon, 
 2re very fit Companions, 
 
 * Bing. viii. S, 3. ^ in/^i/is, Vol. iv. p loS* 
 
 M 3 Yoii
 
 i82 7'he Bijljop cf Oi^tokd's 
 
 You inuft alfo endeavour, that fuch Care 
 may be taken of the Furniture of the 
 Church, and whatever is ufed in it, as the 
 Canons and Kubricks, and the Nature of the 
 Thing require: that the Surplice be origi- 
 nally of proper Linen, and kept clean, and 
 renewed before it becomes contemptible by 
 Age ; that the Bible and Prayer Books be 
 whole and unfullied, and well bound : that 
 the Veflels for the Celebration of both the 
 Sacraments, and the Cover of the Holy 
 Table, but more efpecially the Bread and 
 Wine placed upon it, be fuitable in all Re- 
 fpe<fi'= to the Solemnity : not fuch as may give 
 Difguft to the more delicate, and tempt 
 them to abhor, as the Scripture Expreffion 
 is, i.be Offering of the Lord^. Thefe are in 
 their Kind, Points of Importance : and fuch 
 as you may for the moft Part eafily carry. 
 Another Thing, worthy of Notice, is the 
 Condition of your Church -yards. I take it 
 for granted, though I am afraid I forgot to 
 name it, that you keep thofe, which belong 
 to yourfelves, neat and decent : not turning 
 in Cattle to defile them, and trample dowa 
 
 * I Sam. \u 17, 
 
 the;
 
 Jiftb Charge to his Cly'P.gy, 183 
 
 the Grave-donesj ard make confecrated 
 Ground fuch, as you would not fuffer Courts 
 before your own Doors to be ; bnt taking 
 the Profits of the Herbage in fuch Manner, 
 as may rather add Beauty to the Place. And 
 I hbpe where a Church-yard belongs to 
 an Impropriator, you will do your beft to 
 ^et the fame Refped: paid it; and to 
 whomfoever it belong?, the Fences well 
 kept up. 
 
 If, in any or all of the Particulars, which 
 I have fpecified, your Rcprefentations will 
 be lefs offenfively introduced, or your At- 
 tempts be of more Weight, for your being 
 able to fay, that I directed you to make 
 them, I do hereby diredt you accordingly^ 
 and defire you to fay, that I did. Nor fliould 
 you be contented with a tranfient Mention 
 of the Subje<f^ once or twice; but where 
 there is any Hope, return to it on proper 
 Occafions, and try the Force of modeft Im- 
 portunity. If, after competent Trial, you 
 £nd no Effcifl:, you mud urge the Church- 
 wardens to prefent what is aniifs, if they 
 will do no more. Indeed fuch Things aa 
 belorrg to their own Care, they (liould not 
 
 M 4 prefentj
 
 184 The BiJljDp of Oxford'^ 
 
 prefent, but amend : and the Canons re- 
 quire not the former, but the latter, Only 
 when they^ have not Time for the latter, 
 the former is all they can do : and when 
 they have, it is better than doing Nothing. 
 For it gives Notice, and furni(hes Room for 
 Admonitions and Injundions. If there b^ 
 Need, here again you mull encourage them 
 to prefent, by engaging to plead their Caufe 
 with the Parifhioners. You may alfo fafely 
 promife thern, that they fhall fuffer no op- 
 preffive or hard Treatment, fhall not be 
 required to lay out upon any Thing mor^ 
 than is fitting, and rhall have reafonabl^ 
 Time allowed, even for that. I need not 
 fay, that both to qualify yourfelves for pref- 
 fing them to prefent, and on many other 
 Accounts, you muil take efFedtual Care^ 
 that Nothing belonging to you be prefentable. 
 Elfc they will have a ready Anfwer for you : 
 and it will be a fad Thing to ftand in Awe 
 and be at the Mercy of thofe, who ought to 
 reverence you. If you cannot prevail on 
 them otherwife, I apprehend you inay join 
 with them] and if you cannot prevail on 
 them at all, I apprehend you may prefent 
 
 without
 
 Jifth Charge to his Clergy. i 8^ 
 
 without them, in the Cafe of Repairs, as weil 
 as Offences, by Virtue of the Interpretation, 
 which Pradice hath put on the abovemen- 
 tioned Canon : though it fpeaks, I own, ex- 
 prf fsly of Nothing bcOdes Offences. But in 
 doing either of thefe Things, you muft be 
 fare to obferve the Cautions given under the 
 former Head. 
 
 Yet after all, I am well aware, that you 
 rnayoi ten have great Difficulties to encounter, 
 poffibly fometlmes too great to furmount, 
 and to dimlnifli them for you, I have en- 
 deavoured to procure a parochial Vifitation 
 from the Archdeacon, which he hath pro- 
 mifed. But then, for the Credit of your 
 Parifliioners and your own, let this be an 
 Inducement to put Things in good Order, 
 that he may find them fo: not to leave 
 them in bad Order, that he may redify 
 them. 
 
 Another very ufeful Inftitution, for thefe 
 and many valuable Purpofes, was that of 
 Rural Deans: which took Place here before 
 the Conqueft, was kept up till the great 
 Rebellion, was redored afterwards in feveral 
 Piocefes, aod particularly in this by the 
 
 admirable
 
 1^6 uke BijhopofOxvoKxyh 
 
 admirable Bifliop Fell ^, was found not 
 quite extindl, and was completely revive4 
 by the late excellent Bifliop of Glocejier % 
 in that County, and is preferved to this 
 Day in fome Parts of the Nation beiideSo 
 Thefe Deans, being chofen out of the re- 
 fident parochial Clergy, could infped:, with 
 fmall Trouble, the Churches and Parifhes 
 within their feveral narrow Diflrids ; and 
 being bound to report what they foand 
 amifs, could do it with little or no Offence. 
 In the latter End of Queen Annes^ and the 
 Beginning of the late King's Reign, the 
 Convocation made fome Progrefs towards the 
 Re-eftablifhment and better Regulation of 
 this Office. When that, or any other Branch 
 of Difcipline, may be the Subjedl of public 
 Confideration again, is very uncertain. I 
 fhould be very glad, with your Approbations 
 to fet it up once more amongft us, in fuch 
 Form as might be moft beneficial and fatif- 
 fad:ory: but contented at prefent with hint- 
 ing the Matter, I leave and reconimend it 
 to your ferious Thoughts. 
 
 ^ Kennet. Paroch, Ant. P. 653. ' Bi(hop Benfon. 
 
 % A third
 
 fifth Charge to his Clergy. 187 
 
 A third Particular, of confider.ible Impor- 
 tance, in which you are jointly concerned 
 with the Church-wardens, is the keeping of 
 the Regifter Book. The 70th Canon direcf^Sj, 
 that it be of Parchment : and though an A(fl 
 of Parliament, lately pafled, allows Marriages 
 to be regiftered in a Paper Book; yet Parch- 
 ment is far more durable: nor is the Diffe- 
 rence of Expence worth regarding, as it 
 returns fo feldom. This Book fhould be 
 ftrongly bound, and not over large; left it 
 fhould be worn and damaged, before it is 
 filled. For the fafe Prefervation of ft, and 
 doubtlefs of all preceding Books of the fame 
 Kind, the Canon orders, that a Cheft be pro- 
 vided with three Locks and Keys ; one for you, 
 one for each of the Church-wardens, who 
 are ordinarily two; and that on Sundays, if 
 there hath been any Chriftening, Marriage 
 or Burial, in the Week before, it fliall be 
 entered there. I am afraid it is feldom thus 
 kept : and yet there would be no great 
 trouble in it, after a little Ufe. Or where 
 that is otherwife, either the Minifter or a 
 Church-warden fhould keep it: and each of 
 them fhould fee from Time to Time, how 
 
 it
 
 1 88 The Bijlop of Oxford'^ 
 
 it is kept. The Entries, if they cannot well 
 be made every Sunday, (hould be made very 
 frequently, and in the mean Time the 
 Minifter, if he hath not the Book, fhould 
 take Memorandums. He is the Perfcjn 
 direcSled to write in it, and ufuaily much the 
 fitteft. But if, through any Accident that 
 happens not to be fo, he fhould appoint a 
 proper Perfon, and fuperintend him. The 
 Names and Surnames of the Parents ought 
 to be added, in regiftcring not only Baptifms, 
 where it is enjoined, but Marriages and 
 Burials too, as far as may be: for it may 
 prevent Doubts and Difputes. It v^rill alfo 
 be very ufeful, to put dov/n the Day of the 
 Birth and Death of each Perfon, as well as 
 of the Baptifm and Burial. The late Act 
 above-mentioned hath diredted farther, that 
 every Page of the Regifter of Marriages be 
 numbered, to difcover if any Leaf be after-? 
 wards cut out: and ruled with Lines at 
 equal Diftances, to difcover if any Article be 
 afterwards put in. And you will do very 
 well to obferve the fame Precautions in re- 
 giilering Baptifms and Burials. When a Page 
 is filled, the Canon requires the Minifter and 
 
 Church-
 
 fifth Charge to his Clergy. ioi) 
 
 Church-wardens to fubfcribe their Names ; 
 which they fliould do juft below the laft 
 Line. And if this be not done immediately, 
 it may without any Inconvenience be done 
 loon after: and was done by me and the 
 Church- wardens, for many Years, in one of 
 the moft populous Pariflies of the Kingdom. 
 Laftly the Canon requires, that an attefted 
 Copy of this Book be annually tranfmitted 
 to the Bifliop's Regiftry, received without 
 Fee, and f^iithfully preferved there: and it 
 authorizes me to proceed againft thofe, who 
 are negligent about any of its Directions. I 
 muft therefore both intreat and infift, that 
 you inquire in what Condition your old and 
 your prcfsnt Rcgifter Books are, and get 
 them kept for the future as they ought. I 
 have more than once been put under great 
 Difficulties in Ordinations, for Want of Ex- 
 aflnefs in the Regifter of Baptifms. That of 
 Marriages is of fo great Concern, that alter- 
 ing it defignedly to eftablifh or void a Mar- 
 riage is by the Adt above-mentioned made 
 Felony. In all Cafes the Book, faithfully 
 kept, is good Evidence : and falfifying it, is 
 puniQiable at common Law. I would only 
 
 obferve
 
 J go T/je BiJIjop of Oxfok d*j 
 
 obierve farther on this Head, that in the 
 Preamble of a Bill, which paiTed the Houfe 
 of Commons this laft Seffion, and had 2 
 fecond Reading in the Houfe of Lords, it 
 was allerted as notorious, that *' great In- 
 " conveniences have arifen from tlie prefent 
 ** defedive Manner, in which parochial Re- 
 ** gifters are formed, and the loofe and un- 
 *' certain Method, in v/hich they are kept 
 " and preferved; whereby the Evidence of 
 '^ Defcents is frequently loil: and rendered 
 ** precarious." So far as this may be Fad it 
 will be moll for our Honour to amend it, 
 without the Interpofition of the Legifla- 
 ture. 
 
 A fourth Point, of which I hope you will 
 think yourfelves bound, if not by Law,, yet 
 in Confcience, to take a joint Care with the 
 Church- wardens, is that of parochial Chari- 
 ties. The Minifter is the Reprefentative of 
 the Church, intrafted with its Interefts; and 
 you ought to endeavour, that fuch Benefac- 
 tions be firft preferved and then applied in a 
 proper Manner. 
 
 If it be doubtful, whether fuch or fuch a 
 Donation hath been given to your Church or 
 
 Poor,
 
 Jifth Charge to bis Clukgy, 191 
 
 Poor, or the Support of a School la your 
 Parifh, you will make proper Inquiry con- 
 cerning the Matter. If it be given by any 
 Writing, you v/ill procure that Writing, or 
 an attefted Copy of it, to be laid up fafely, 
 either in the Parifli CheH:, or the Bifhop's 
 Reglflry 3 indeed a Copy in each Place would 
 be beft; and an Account of the Gift fhould 
 be inferted in your Parifh Book, For if 
 Deeds are left in private Hands, and efpe- 
 cially without authentic Notice where 
 they are left, they are fometimes defignedly 
 fupprefied ; and often undefignedly deftroyed 
 or loft, through the Ignorance or CarelefTnefs 
 of the Perfons poflefTed of them. It will 
 alfo be very proper, to have a Table mention- 
 ing the Charity, hung up in your Church, 
 that a grateful Remembrance of the Benefac- 
 tors may be continued to Pofterity, and others 
 incited to follow their good Example : as a 
 Paper of Direcftions drawn up by the Lower 
 Houfe of Convocation in 1710, hath well 
 cxprelTed it^. If the Bcnefadion be an 
 Eftate veiled in Truftees, it will be very 
 material to get the Truil renewed in due 
 
 ''See«'7//{;W, Vol.iv. P. 638. 
 
 Time^
 
 102 "^he Bijhcp of Oxford'^ 
 
 Time -, c\(z in all Likelihood there will be 
 Expence, if not Danger; and to Truftees of 
 as good Credit and Ability, as poflible. 
 They muft likewife be warned, never to \tt 
 out fuch Lands in long Leafes, or at very low 
 Rents, in Favour of any Body : but to raife 
 the Rents when they can ; at leafl: to vary 
 them, which will make it eafy to raife them, 
 when there is Opportunity : otherwife it will 
 foon be pretended, that they have no Right 
 to raife them; of which there are fome un- 
 happy Inftances in this Diocefe. If the 
 Gift be in Money, you muft prefs to have it 
 placed in the public Funds, in Cafe it be 
 confiderable enough; or elfe in the heft 
 private Hands, and on the beft Security that 
 can be obtained: paying no Regard in fuch 
 Cafes to perfonal Friendships; and being 
 particularly careful that Parifh Officers do 
 not keep it in their own Ciiftody. If 
 they do, the Intereft will ufually be paid 
 out of the public Money, and irioft pro- 
 bably the Principal will be loft in a few 
 Years. 
 
 But Charities are preferved in vain, ualefs 
 they are well applied; and they are often 
 
 fadly
 
 fifth Charge to his Clekgv. i93 
 
 ladiy mirapplicd. Gifts to the Church, 
 where it is not othervviie expreffcd, mud be 
 fiippofcd intended for beautifying the Church: 
 elfe it will be never the better for fuch Gifts: 
 for it will be equally repaired without them : 
 the Parifhioners are bound to that: and the 
 Chief of the Burden ufually falls upon the 
 richeft, ior whofe Reliet Charities were 
 certainly not intended, ^nd yet fuch Be- 
 nefadions are too commonly employed, not 
 only in mere Repairs, but in what hath no 
 Connexion with the Fabric; in providing 
 Bread and Wine for the Communion, in 
 paying Church-wardens Bills for all Sorts of 
 Things, it may be fof extravagant and riotous 
 Entertainments amongft the reft, in eafing 
 the Poors Rates, in I know not what ; and 
 the Church all the Time, inllead of bein;r 
 any Way improved, fuffered to grow dirty 
 and even ruinous. A lamentable Abufe of 
 this Kind, (where a Steeple fell down, and 
 was in Part rebuilt by Contribution, while 
 an Eftate, more than fufficient to have kept 
 the whole Building in good Order and 
 Beauty, was perverted to other Ufee) I have 
 taken much Pains to redify, but fear it is 
 
 N not
 
 194 The BiJJjop of Oxfoud'^ 
 
 not thoroughly redlified yet. Again, Gifts tq 
 the Poor were certainly intended for the 
 Benefit of the Poor ; to make Provifion for 
 fiich of them as are not on the Parifli Lift, 
 or a better Provifion for fuch as are. And 
 yet they are fometimes embezzled and fquan- 
 dered, in a great A4eafure, if not wholly ; 
 fometimes beftowed to ferve private or 
 Party Purpofes: and very freqvicntly funk 
 into the legal Rate; fo the Wealthy are be- 
 nefited; and the Needy have not a Farthing 
 more, than if Nothing had been given for 
 them. 
 
 I know it is not always cafy, perhaps not 
 always pofiible for you, to remedy thefe ill 
 Practices. But a reat Part of the Blame 
 will be laid on you, right or wrong, unlefs 
 you try to remedy them. And it may prove 
 lefs diflicult than you imagine. Church- 
 wardens and Overfeers perhaps are ignorant, 
 or going on thoughtlefsly, and would be 
 thankful to you for good Advice : or however 
 would be ruled, by it, on your reprefenting 
 to them the Heinoufnefs of robbing God or 
 the Poor J and the Honour it will do them, 
 and the Confolation it Vv'ill afford them, to 
 
 have
 
 fifth Charge to his Clergy. 195 
 
 have put Things into a right Channel. Or 
 fuppollng them backward to comply, you 
 may be able to get confiderable Perfons in 
 the Parifli or Neighbourhood to fecond you. 
 At lead you will get the Reputation of a 
 mofl laudable Zeal, and if you condudt that 
 Zeal aright, of Dil'cretion alfo: and thefe 
 together may produce unexpected Succefs ; 
 efpecially where the Abufe is not yet become 
 inveterate. But if Nothing elfe will do, and 
 the Cafe be plain, and the Object of fufficient 
 Importance : Recourfe fliould be had to the 
 Authority of the Law : and you Qiould be 
 willing to bear a Proportion of the Charges, if 
 it be requifite and you are able 3 only taking 
 the ftricteO: Care to proceed with Miidnefs 
 and Fairnefs, 
 
 I have now finifhcd the Courfe of Direc- 
 tions to you, which I began 15 Years ago. 
 And as 1 can truly fay, that in this and every 
 Part of my Behaviour as your Bifliop, I 
 have, through the Divine Affiilance, dili- 
 gently laboured to do my Duty with Up- 
 rightncfs, and promote your Good and that 
 of your Parishioners, prefent and future ; fo 
 I hope you will accept my Endeavours with 
 
 N 2 Candour
 
 196 The Bifiop cf Oxford^ 
 
 Candour and Study to profit by them j ex«» 
 cufing my Fallings, which I know have been 
 many, and will now be too likely to increafe. 
 I am advancing apace into the Decline of 
 Age. Three of my Brethren', my oldeft and 
 teft Friends, have gone before me in lefs than 
 twelve Months. Imuft exped: to follow them 
 4pon. Whether I may live, or, if I live, 
 whether I may be able, to meet you thus 
 again, God only can forefee. Maybe grant 
 us to meet in a better World ! 
 
 But before I conclude, permit me to fub- 
 join to thefe general Admonitions, a few 
 Words concerning two particular Occur- 
 rences. 
 
 In the firft Place I return you my hearty 
 Thanks for the Pains, which you have taken 
 in Behalf of the Society for propagating the 
 Gofpel. The Colledioii hath upon the. 
 Whole been made very fuccefsfully through- 
 out the Kingdom; and amounts to almoft 
 J 9,000/. if not more : whereas ten Years ago it 
 fell fhort of 15,000/. But I believe the Con- 
 tribution of this County hath been in Propor- 
 tion the largefl of any. The laft Time it was 
 
 » Bi/hops Ei'.lhr, Benfovy and Berkley, 
 
 barely
 
 Jfd) Charge to his Ci.^L'RGY . 197 
 
 barely 300/. nor was that to be accounted 
 fmall : and now it is very near 500/. I 
 mean in both Cafes exclufive of the Univer- 
 iity: which diftinguiflied itfelf very honour- 
 ably then, and I doubt not, will at prefent. 
 May God increafe, and blefs, and reward the 
 Zeal of all his Servants every where for 
 fupporting, and enlarging the Kingdom of 
 his Son, and making the Confelfion of 
 his Name efFcdtual to the Salvation of Man- 
 kind. 
 
 The other Subject, oti which I would 
 fpeak to you, is the Conteft about Reprefen- 
 tatives for this County in the ftext Parlia- 
 ment. Let no one be alarmed. I need not, 
 and I do not mean, to give you at a Meeting 
 of this Nature, my Opinion which of the 
 Candidates you ought to prefer : of that I 
 fay no more here than that you ought to 
 regard, in the firfl: Place, the infeparable 
 Interefls of the excellent Church we are 
 Members of, and, its only human Support, 
 the jufl and gracious Government we live 
 under; then other fubordinate Confidera- 
 tions. My Purpofe is merely to exhort you, 
 (and 1 befeech you, Brethren, fuffer the Word 
 
 N 3 of
 
 1 98 ^he BiJI^op of OxF ORD*J 
 
 of Exhortation'^) that on this Occafion, your 
 Converfatlon be fuch as bccometh the Go/pel 
 of Chrijl: in doing which, I have neither one 
 Party, nor one Perfon anriongft you, more in 
 my View than another : but if I may ufe the 
 Apoftle's Words, am jealous with a godly 
 feaktify over you all^. I cannot indeed fup- 
 pofe, that any of you would be guilty of the 
 grofler FauUs too common at fuch Times, or 
 any wilful wrong Behaviour. But in the 
 Midftof fo many Claddings, Provocations, and 
 Difappointments, as v/ill happen, fo many 
 Miftakes and Mifreprefentations as arife one 
 knows not now: the Incitements to uncha- 
 ritable and contemptuous Thoughts, to un- 
 advifedand injurious Words, in Anger or in 
 Mirth, nay to unkind and hard and even 
 unjuft Actions, are very great, and the bell: of 
 us all (hould be continually fuggefting to our 
 Minds proper Cautions for avoiding th.efc 
 Dangers. Elfe we {hall fall into Sin againfl 
 God and our Neighbour : we (hall lofe the 
 Efleem of Part of thofe whofe Improvement 
 by us depends on their efleeming us 5 and fet 
 a bad inftead of a good Example to the Reft. 
 
 *» Hebxiii. 22. "zCor. xi. 2. 
 
 6 • Let
 
 fifth Charge to his Clergy. 199 
 
 Let every one of us therefore be very watchful 
 over our Condud: or if we have not been fo, 
 ict us.amend it : and if we find preferving our 
 Innocence difficult, let us meddle tlie lefs 
 with thefe Matters: for indeed being over 
 bufy about them is not very fuitable to our 
 Function. But while we are ftri6l with 
 ourfelves, let us be very mild in Regard to 
 others, whom we think to have done amifs: 
 we may blame them without Caufe^ or if we 
 do not, it is eafy to err; and we, amongft 
 others, are fadly liable. to Faults. But let us 
 be efpecially mild towards our own Brethren. 
 For why ihould we diminilh our little re- 
 maining Strength by inteftine DifTentions, 
 and teach yet more Perfons to think ill or 
 meanly of us, than do already ? Surely the 
 common Caufe of Religion and Virtue, which 
 we are jointly intruded to fupport, fhould 
 have intinitely greater Force to unite us, than 
 any Thing elfe to divide us. 
 
 Next to yourfclves, you will ftudy to pre* 
 ferve as many of your Parifliioners as poffible, 
 from the Sins that fo eafily befef them at thefe 
 -Seafons of epidemical Unreafcnablenefs and 
 Licentioulhefs. Thofe, v.'ho are cf your 
 
 N 4 , owa
 
 £00 '^'he BiJJjop o/Oxfor-d's 
 
 own Side, you may counfel and reprove more 
 freely. With the reft you muft be extremely 
 calm and patient: take the moft favourable 
 Opportunities, and ufe the moft perftiafive 
 Methods of fpeaking : but in fome Way or 
 other, private or public, all, who need it, 
 ftiould be told, whether they will bear or 
 whether they will forbear, that the great 
 Chriftian Laws of Dutifulnefs to Superiors, 
 mutual Good-will, Forbearance, Forgivenefs, 
 Equity, Veracity, Moderation, Sobriety, lofe 
 not the leaft of their Obligation during the 
 Continuance of thefe Difputes: that all Vir- 
 tues are to be chiefly exercifed, when they 
 are chiefly tried: and that therefore now 
 more particularly, you, as the Apoftle direds, 
 rci\x{ipiit them in Mind, and they muft keep in 
 Mind,/c befubjeB toPrincipalities and Powers, 
 to obey Magi/lrates, to be ready to every good 
 Work, to /peak Evil of no Man, to be no Braw- 
 ler but gentle, fhewijig all Meeknefs unto all 
 Men°. lend this long Difcourfe in the Words 
 of the fame Apoftle: Fi?2ally, Brethren, what- 
 foever Thijtgs are true, whatfoever Things are 
 venerable, (for fo the Word is rightly tranfla- 
 
 » Tit-ili. r,2. 
 
 ted
 
 Jifth Charge to his Clergy, 201 
 
 ted In the Margin) whatfoever l^hings are 
 jiijl 'whatfoever 'Things are pure, ivhatfceijer 
 Things are lovely t whatfoever Things are of 
 good Report, if there be any Virtue and ff 
 there be any Praife, think of and do ihefe 
 T hi tigs : and the God of Peace f^all be with 
 you^. 
 
 f Phil. iv. 8, 9, 
 
 A CHARGE
 
 I
 
 A 
 
 CHARGE 
 
 DELIVERED TO THE 
 
 CLERGY of the Diocese 
 
 OF 
 
 CANTERBURY, 
 
 In the Year 1758.
 
 |W 
 
 Reverend Bretbren, 
 
 TH E Dirpofer of all Things having 
 permitted his Majefty, by the Advice 
 of his faithful Servants, to nominate me 
 for your Bi(hop: though I faw many Rea- 
 fons to dread this Promotion, arifing from 
 the Difficulties of the Office and of the 
 Times, from the great Qaalities of my Pre- 
 deceflbrs, and my own increafing Weak- 
 nelTes; yet I thought myfelf bound to obey 
 his Commands, and with the fame Gratitude 
 for his favourable Opinion, as if I had wished 
 to receive them: determining, through God's 
 Grace, to perform the Duties of my Station 
 as well as I could j and hoping for the Can- 
 dor, the Affiffance, and the Prayers of good 
 People. To make fome Amends by Dili- 
 gence for my Deficiencies in other Refpedts, 
 1 refolved immediately to vifit my Diccefe: 
 for which f*urpofe we are here allembled. 
 
 Thefe
 
 2 c 6 The ArchbiJJjop 5/" C a n i e r b u r y V 
 
 Thefe Meetings were defigned, partly to 
 [give the Clergy Opportunities of conferring 
 with each other, and confuhing their Supe- 
 riors, on Matters relating to their Profeffion ; 
 and I am very defirous, thatycu fliould ren- 
 der them as beneficial in this Way, as poffi- 
 ble: but principally, to give Bifhops Oppor- 
 tunities of exhorting and cauiloning their 
 Clergy, either on fuch general Subje^^s as 
 are always ufeful, or en fuch particular Oc- 
 cafions as the Circumftances of Things, or 
 I the Inquiries, made at or againft thefe 
 Times, point out; and of interpofing their 
 Authority, if there be Need; which amongH: 
 you, I am perfuadcd, there will not. To 
 provide more fully for your Inftrucftion, I 
 have ordered a Charge to be fent you, which 
 I delivered to the Clergy of Oxforcijljire, and 
 printed at their Requeft, about twenty Years 
 ago. Would to God it w^ere become unfeafon- 
 able now. But, as- unhappily it is not, I ear- 
 neftly recommend the Contents of it to your 
 moft ferious Thoughts : and would have you 
 look on what I (hall at prefent Uy further, 
 as fupplemental to it. 
 
 Counfcls
 
 ■ Jirjl Charge to his Clergy, 207 
 
 Counfels and Admonitions to parochial 
 Miniflcrs pre-fuppofe their Refidence, The 
 Founders of Pariilies provided them with 
 Glebes, and built Houfes for them, pur- 
 pofely that they might refide. The Laws 
 of the Church have from the Beginning, and 
 do ftill require, as indeed common Equity 
 doth, that this valuable Confidcration, for 
 which thcfe Endowments were given, iliould 
 be faithfully paid. And going over and per- 
 forming the Service from Time to Time, or 
 engaging feme other Clergyman to take Care 
 of it, or of the occafional Part of it, feldom 
 anfwcrs the original Intention. Your Peo- 
 ple will not fo readily, and cannot fo con- 
 veniently, apply to the Minifter of another 
 Parifh: And when they do, his Afliftancc, 
 for the moil Part, will be lefs early, or lefs 
 confiant, than it (hould: though doubtlefs 
 they, who have undertaken to fupply their 
 Neighbours Abfence, ought to do it very 
 confcientiouHy. But beiides, even the Sun- 
 dav-Dutv, when the Incumbent unnecefia- 
 rily comes from a diilant Place to do it, will 
 be ccniidered as accompanied with fome- 
 thing like a Breach of the Sunday, will not 
 
 always
 
 2o8 TheArchhlfiop of Can ter bur y'^ 
 
 always be kept to the ftated Hours, will ofteri 
 be hurried over indecently: the Catechifm 
 Avi.l either not be taught or not expounded, 
 if the Diflance be at all confiderablej nor 
 probably will the Sermon be well adapted to 
 the Audience. For it is only living amongft 
 your people, and knowing them thoroughly 
 that can {hew you, what is level to their 
 Capacities, and fuited to their Circumftances; 
 what will reform their Faults, and improve 
 their Hearts in true Goodnefs. Yet this is 
 your Bafinefs with them: and unlefs you 
 perform it, every Thing elfe is Nothing. 
 Further, fuch as want your Help mod: may 
 not come to your Sermons, or may not 
 apply them to their own Cafe, or may need 
 to have them enforced by Confiderations 
 peculiar to themfelves, and unfit to be 
 fpecified in Public. Speaking to them 
 feparately, and agreeably to their feveral 
 States of Mind and Life, may have unfjre- 
 iztn Influence. And being always at 
 Hand, to order the diforderly, and coun- 
 tenance the well-behaved, to advife and 
 comfort the difeafed and afHicled, to relieve 
 or procure Relief for the neceflitous, to com- 
 
 pofe
 
 Jirjl Charge to his Clergy. 209 
 
 pofe little Differences and difcourage wrong 
 Cuftoms in the Beginning, to promote 
 friendly Offices, and keep up an edifying 
 and entertaining Converfation in a Neigh- 
 bourhood, mud add incredible Weight to 
 public Inftrudion. 
 
 Indeed your Congregations exped: theie 
 Things from you, and have a Right to ex- 
 pect them. The Nature of your Office re- 
 quires them : you have all at your Ordina- 
 tion exprefsly promifed to ufe both public and 
 private Monitions and Exhortations^ both to 
 thejick and whole within your Cures, as Need 
 Poall require and Occajion be given, the Lord 
 being your Helper, Now we cannot ufe them 
 duly, without being refident. But further 
 ftill, fince their Ordination, all Vicars have 
 fworn particularly to be refident unlefs they 
 are difpenfed with, which means by lawful 
 Authority: ncr doth any Difpenfition of a 
 Biffiop laft beyond his own Time; or beyond 
 the Term for which he gave it ; or, if that 
 were indefinite, beyond his Pleafure: Points, 
 which Vicars ought to confider much more 
 ferioufly, than they often do. And every 
 
 O Reaor
 
 210 "The JrMi/Jjop of Canterbvry's 
 
 Redor hath fworn in general to obey hh 
 Bifhop in all Things lawful and honejl. Now 
 furely Refidence is lawful and honeft: and 
 what is puniQiable by a Bifhop may, if done 
 without his Leave, be well interpreted Dif- 
 obedience to him: and the Non-refidence of 
 Redors is punifliable jufl in the fame Man- 
 ner with that of Vicars. 
 
 It muft not therefore be pleaded> that 
 however necefTary the Refidence of fome 
 Minifter may be, that of a Curate may fuffice. 
 For your Engagement is, not merely that the 
 feveral Duties of your Parifli (hall be done, 
 but that you perfonally will do them: and if 
 it were enough to fubftitute another to do 
 them, a Layman would be, in Point of Rea- 
 fon and Confcience, as capable of holding a 
 Benefice, as a Man in holy Orders. Be- 
 fides, a Curate will ufually have lefs Know- 
 ledge and lefs Experience, than the Incum- 
 bent: and he and the Parifhioners will con- 
 ceive, that they are lefs related to each other. 
 He will confider himfelf, as being with then;i 
 only for an uncertain, and he may hope, a 
 ihort Time 3 which will tempt him to neg- 
 lect
 
 Jirft Charge to his CleRG v. 2 1 1 
 
 )e6l them. And they will confider him, as 
 not the Perfon, who hath Authority over ' 
 themi which will tempt them to difregard 
 him: efpecially as the largeft Salary, that 
 can be legally appointedjOr generally afforded 
 to a Curate, will not enable him to recom- 
 mend himfelf to them by doing Good 
 amongfl: them in any expcnfive Way: whilll 
 yet the people will think, and juftly too, 
 that the whole Income of the Benefice was 
 intended to procure them a Minifler, to do 
 them as much Good in every Way, as could 
 reafonably be expecfred from it. 
 
 There are indeed Cafes, in which the 
 Law difpenfes with holding two Livings, 
 and by Confequence allows abfence from 
 one. But Perfons ought to confider well : 
 fuppofing they can with Innocence take the 
 Benefit of that Law ; whether they can do 
 it on other Terms, than their Difpenfatioa 
 and their Bond expreffes, of preaching yearly 
 thirteen Sermons, and keeping two Months 
 Hofpitality, in the Parifli where they refide 
 leaft. For the leave given them on thefe 
 Conditions, is not intended to be given them, 
 however legally valid, if the Conditions are 
 
 O 2 negle(5led :
 
 212 "Tk Archhifiop of Canterbury*^ 
 
 negleded: always excepting where juft Im- 
 pediments happen. There are likewife Cafes^ 
 in which the Non-refidence of Perfons, who 
 have only one Living, is permitted by Law. 
 But feme of thefe alfo are put under Limita- 
 tions, beyond which the Permiffion doth not 
 reach. 
 
 Further ft ill, I am fenfible, that Confider- 
 ations of Health and ftrength, and particular 
 Circumftances of Incumbents or their Fami- 
 lies, require Leave of Abfence to be fome- 
 times allowed, where the Law makes no Al- 
 lowance. But then it (hould never be taken 
 for any confiderable Time, without being 
 afked : nor (liould it be afked without good 
 Caufe. And mere Fancy, or Deiire of living 
 more at eafe, or in a cheerfuller, and, it may 
 be, lefs clerical Manner, is by no means a fuf- 
 ficient Caufe. Nor indeed is the Allegation of 
 Health to be urged too far, or to be too much 
 regarded. For Places, called unwholefome, 
 prove upon Trial very wholefome to many 
 Perfons : and thofe, which are leaft fo, muft 
 have fome Minifters in or near them j and 
 whom rather, generally fpeaking, than fuch 
 as enjoy the whole Profits ? Much lefs is In- 
 
 •lulgencc
 
 firji Charge to h's Clergy. 187 
 
 dulgence to be granted for every prefent Con- 
 venience, or Proipc^cH: of temporal Advan- 
 tage : which if Clergymen appear to have 
 greatly at heart, and the care of their Pariflies 
 but little, indeed it looks very ill. 
 
 Another Plea may be offered by fome, that 
 though they live not on their own Cures, 
 they ferve others. And it is not always an in-, 
 fufficientone. But, with very few Exceptions, 
 the moft natural and moft ufeful Method by 
 far ic, that each take the Overlioht of the 
 Parifh, which properly belongs to him : and 
 abfenting himfelf from that, for a little more 
 Income, a little more Agreeablenefs, or any 
 
 flight Rcafon, is unbecoming and unwarrant- 
 able Behaviour. 
 
 At the fame Time I acknowledge, that 
 
 the Poornefs of fome Benefices makes the Re- 
 
 iidence of a diftind: Minifter upon each of 
 
 themimpradicable: and therefore they mufl 
 
 be (erved from an adjoining Pariili, or a 
 
 greater Diftance ; and no more Duty expefted, 
 
 than there is a competent Provifion for. But 
 
 then I fear, indeed I have found, that in fome 
 
 Benefices, not fo poor, one Minifter fuppiies 
 
 two Churches on a Sunday j contrary to a re- 
 
 O 3 pcated
 
 2 1 4 The Archblfiop of CANTEkBURvV 
 
 peated lujundion of fucceiTive Archblfhops 
 to their Suffragans, which they certainly de- 
 figned toobfcrve themfelvesi and the Words 
 of which are thefe; that y on do not allow any 
 Minijler to ferve more than one Church or 
 Chapel in one Day, except that Chapel be a 
 Member of the Parifi Church, j or united there- 
 unto i and unlefs the Jaid Church or Chapel be 
 not able to maintain a Curate. The Confe- 
 quence of difregarding this Injundion is, 
 not only the very bad one, that the Service 
 is performed in irreverent Hafte, but that 
 Catechifing is negleded in both Places, if not 
 altogether, yet in a great Degree. Nay, per- 
 haps for great Part of the Year, if not the 
 Whole, each of them hath Prayers but once. 
 Where indeed it can be truly alledged in this 
 Idft cafe, that the Inhabitants of each Paridi 
 not only with Convenience may, but adlually 
 do attend at both Churches, the Plea mud 
 be allowed its Weight. But, as to other 
 Ex'cufes: If the Number of the People be 
 fmall, the fervice is not lefs enjoined, and is 
 more eafily performed: If they had rather 
 have a Sermon at anotherChurch,than mere- 
 ly Prayers at their own 5 they ought to have 
 
 more
 
 firji Charge to his Clerg V. 2 1 ^ 
 
 more than Prayers; an Expofition of the 
 Catechifm, which they will account equi- 
 valent to a Sermon : or you may reduce it 
 with eafe into the Form of a Sermon: and 
 then many of them will come to their own 
 Church, who now go to no other, but pro- 
 fane the reft of the Day : if they are content 
 
 with Part of the Sunday Service, which how- 
 ever may bcfaid or believed without fufHcient 
 Ground, yet probably they would be glad of 
 the Whole. But fuppofing them to be indif- 
 ferent about it, or even averfe from it, their 
 Minifter is bound to {hew them, that they 
 ought not. And how long foever this hath 
 been the Praf^icej if it ought not to have been 
 fo at all, the longer the worfe. My pious and 
 learned PrcdecefTor, Archbifhop Potter, la- 
 mented heavily to me the Irregularities of this 
 Kind, which he found in this Diocefe: and 
 if any remain, I muft, after his Example, 
 endeavour to have them redified. 
 
 I hope they will be redified by the befl 
 Method, beyond Comparifon ; your own 
 ferious Reflections on what you owe to your 
 Flocks, and what you owe to the great Shep- 
 herd of Souls. Though you are ever fo ex- 
 
 O 4 prefsly
 
 2 1 6 ^he Archhijhop of C a nterbury*i 
 
 prefsly permitted by human Laws to be ab» 
 fent from your Cures, or by your Ordinary 
 to ferve them, or let them be ferved, by 
 Halves j you are anfwerable to an infinitely 
 higher Tribunal for what God, and not Man 
 alone, hath made your duty. Therefore, if you 
 regard the Peace of your own Souls and your 
 final Comfori, you will never do any of thefe 
 Things, unlefs very ftrong Reafons oblige 
 yon to it: and you will never be glad of 
 fuch Reafons, but heartily forry. You will 
 give your Parifhes both Morning and Evening 
 Prayer, wherever it is poffible: and vou will 
 fupply them in Perfon, unlefs particular Cir- 
 cumftances render it impradicable.. or un- 
 lefs, by living at a diftance for rae prefent, 
 you are more ufeful to Religion Jcme other 
 Way, and peculiarly qualified for that Ufe- 
 fulnefs. Far from catching at wei.k Pre- 
 tences, you will rather be diffident about 
 ftrong Inducements : and much readier to 
 follow the Diredions, than folicit the Indul- 
 gence of your Superiors. But if any do chufe 
 the worfe Part, they muft remember, that 
 we Bifliops are bound to oppofe, inftead of 
 ^onfulting their Inclinations, from Concern 
 
 for
 
 Jirjl Charge to his Clergy. 217 
 
 for them, as well as their Pdndiionfr. And 
 therefore yoa wild not (urdy think jt real 
 Good-nature to connive at Liberties of this 
 Kind preiuajpta.'uliy talcen withouf ! Cive, 
 or to g^ant Requefts made for them, as Mat^ 
 ter.s oi Courfe : ncj- Impute it to a Fondnefs of 
 exercifiiig Power whsn Compliance with the 
 Rules of the Church is required: nor yet 
 haftily condemn it, as partial Behaviour, if 
 0p Indulgence, denied to one, is granted to 
 another; for there may be, in the Cafes of 
 different Perfons, confiderable Difparities, 
 unknown to you, or unobferved by you. 
 
 But when it is ever fo clear, that the Non- 
 refidence of Minifters ought to be allowed, it 
 is at leafl: equally clear, that they lliould ufc 
 their beft '.ndeavours to make their People 
 Amends for it. One Thing, proper to be 
 done for this End, is relieving their Poor: 
 which as they could not with Decency avoid 
 doing, according to their Ability, if they 
 lived amongft them, they ought to do more 
 largely, if they live elfewhere. For no Rea- 
 proach will lie heavier on our Order, than 
 that of reaping all, and fowing nothing; 
 whereas, they who give Alms in their Ab- 
 
 fence.
 
 2 1 8 '77?^ Arcbbijlop ^ C A n t e r b u R y 'i 
 
 fence, ^vill be in Effed always prefent to one 
 valuable Purpofe; will be readily prefumed 
 to be Well-williers to Yheir Paritlies in 
 <5very vvayj whilll they are BenefaAors to 
 them in this Way : and by fuch a Specimen 
 of the Influence of Religion uport themfelves 
 will remind their Congregations,' very ac- 
 ceptably, of the Influence, Vi^hich it ought to 
 have upon them; efpeciaily if they make 
 their Charity more diredly fubfervient to 
 Religion, by affording diftinguifhed Encou- 
 ragement to pious and virtuous Perfons, and 
 thofe who appear likely to be made fuch: 
 by procuring Children to be inflruded in 
 their Chrillian Duty, and other proper 
 Knowledge; by diflributing ufeful Books 
 amongfl the needy and ignorant. What is thus 
 beftowedjisof all the Service it can be : where- 
 as injudicious Bountymayeven produce Harm. 
 Another Thing, incumbent on fuch as 
 cannot refide conflantly, is to infpedl how- 
 ever the State of their Parifhes as frequently 
 as they can : fpending Days, or Weeks, or 
 longer Seafons there occafionally^ and in 
 Proportion as their Time is fhorter, ufing 
 more Diligence in public and private la-r 
 
 flrudions
 
 Jirfi Charge to his Clergy, 219 
 
 ftru6lions and Warnings. For they nre pe- 
 culiarly bound to do what they are able, who 
 are not able to do what elfe they ought. But 
 if even this be out of their Power, they may 
 at leaft be affiduous in getting Informations 
 from Perfons of Underftanding and Seriouf- 
 nefs, in or near their Cures, with what Re- 
 gularity, with what Spirit and Zeal, each 
 Part of the Parochial Duty is performed; 
 whether true inward Piety makes any Pro- 
 grefs; whether any and what Abufes and 
 Negleds are crept in. And he who reckons 
 it enough, that for ought he knows to the 
 contrary, his Parifhioners go on like their 
 Neighbours, hath by no Means the requifite 
 Concern for their Souls, or his own. 
 
 But whenever A bfence is necefTary, or the 
 Largenefs of a Parifh, or the Infirmity of a 
 Minifter, hinders him from taking the whole 
 Care of it perfonally, the principal Point is 
 the Choice of a fit Subftitute, to be employed 
 in his Stead, or fliare his Burthen: for no 
 Superintendency will make an unfit one an- 
 fwer the End. And therefore I char2:e it 
 upon your Confciences, not to fufFer Cheap- 
 nefs, Recommendation of Friends, AfFcdion 
 7 to
 
 2Zo The ^rchi?i/hop of Cant ekbvky's 
 
 to this or that Perfon or Place of Education, 
 infhort, any Inducement whatever to weigh 
 near fo much with you, as the Benefit of 
 your People, in chufing Perfons to fcrve your 
 Churches. For on you the Choice of them 
 lies in the firft Place : but not on vou alone. 
 The Laws of the Church require, particu- 
 larly Can. 48, that no Curate or Minifier he 
 permitted toferve in any Place, without Exa- 
 mination and Admifjion of the Ordinary : in 
 Confequence of which, one of the before- 
 mentioned archiepifcopal Diredlions to the 
 Suffragans of the Province, is this : T^hat 
 you make diiigent Inquiry concerning Curates in 
 your Diocefe j and proceed to ecclejiajlical Ceu- 
 fures againft thofe, who JJjall prefume to fer*ut 
 Cures, without being Jirjl duly licenfed there- 
 unto y as alfo againjl all Incumbents^ who Jhall 
 receive and employ them without obtaining fuch 
 Licence, Yet I v^ould avoid Rigour in all 
 Cafes. The Expence of a Licence, by Means 
 of the Stamps, may to fome be rather incon- 
 venient, and greater than the Government 
 perhaps intended : at leaft, if they are 
 likely to remove, and fo repeat that Ex- 
 pence, in a (hort time. And fuch Curates I 
 
 would
 
 Jirjl Charge to his Clergy. m 
 
 would excafe: only defiring them to con- 
 iider, what Security of continuing in their 
 Station, and receiving their Salary, a Licence 
 brings them. But then you cannot think 
 it right, that I fliould be left in Ignorance, 
 who ferves a Church under my Care, till I 
 learn it by Accident, or private Inquiry, per- 
 haps many Months after -, through which 
 OmiiHon, Men of bad Characters, Men not 
 in Orders, may intrude j as there hath lately 
 been a flagrant Inftance in this Diocefe. I 
 am far from looking on the part Failures of 
 giving Notice, as defigned Negligence of 
 your Flocks, or Difrefpedt to your Superiors. 
 But I fhall have Caufe both to think of them 
 and treat them as fuch, if continued after the 
 Warning, which I now give, that no one 
 is to officiate ftatedly, or employ another 
 to officiate fo, within my Jurifdidtion, un- 
 lefs he firfl: obtain my Confent ; or what in 
 EfFe(5l will be mine, that of your very wor- 
 thy and vigilant Archdeacon. Think not, 
 1 beg you, that this is tak'ng more on my- 
 fclf, than my Fredeceflb: s did. Their own 
 Diredions prove, that they would have done 
 the fame Thing, if they had iczx\ the fame 
 
 Neceffity,
 
 S 2 2 'The Archhijhop ^ C A N r E R B u ii y'j 
 
 Neceffity. Far be it from me to lord it over 
 God's Heritage* : but I am bound to 7j^^j> 
 that which is committed to 7Jiy Triift '*. 
 
 When you want Curates, I recommend it 
 to you, firflto enquire after Perfons of Merit, 
 already ordained, and if poffible ordained 
 Priefts, taking Care to fee their Orders, as well 
 as to examine into their Charaders, before 
 you think of granting Nominations to others* 
 The Number of Clergymen indeed is rather 
 deficient, than fuperfluous. But ftill one 
 would not add to it by overlooking unde- 
 fervedly thofe who are of it already. And 
 particularly where help is wanted only for a 
 fhort Time, I {hall infill on this Point : nor 
 will, without abfolute Neceffity, ordain any 
 one upon fuch a Title. And if fraudulent 
 Titles are brought, merely to procure Orders, 
 as I hope I fliall difcover them foon enough 
 to difallow them, fo I {hall be fure to remark 
 and remember, who hath attempted to im- 
 pofe upon me by them. 
 
 The next Thing to be confidered in Rela- 
 tion to Curates is, their Te{timonials. And 
 here the Canon and Direiflions already quoted 
 
 » 1 Pet. V. 3. ''I Tim. vi. zo. ' 
 
 enjoin.
 
 firfi Charge to hh Clergy. 223 
 
 enjoin, that no Bifliop admit fuch as rcmcce 
 out of another Diocefe toferve in bis, '•ji)ithout 
 the 1'ejiimony in Writing of the Bijhop of that 
 Diocefe y or Ordinary of the peculiar Jitriflic^ 
 tion^ from whence they come, of their good Life, 
 Ability, and Conformitif to the ealefiajiical 
 Laws of the Church of England. For the 
 Clergymen of one Diocefe, or Jurifdidion, 
 at lead their Hand-writing, being ufually 
 unknown to the Bifhop of another, he can 
 feldom, of himfelf, be fure, either that he 
 hath their genuine Teflimony, or how far 
 he may truft it. Therefore it is fit, that he 
 fliould defire the Atteflation of their proper 
 Superior. And even to this it will be 
 prudent to add fuch further Information, as 
 can be got : confidcring how very carelefsly 
 Teftimonials are fometimes granted, even by 
 reputable Perfons. 
 
 But let me irtreat you never to be guilty 
 of fuch Carelefsnefs yourfelves, for whatever 
 Purpofe one is sfked of you. Both the Na- 
 ture of the Thing, and the Diredions re- 
 peatedly mentioned, require, that no Bifliop 
 accept any Letters T^efijiionial, unkfs it be de^ 
 dared by thofe who Jhall fgn them, that ihcy 
 
 ta'-je
 
 224 l'heArchbiJhopofCA.^r'EiL-B\5VLY's 
 
 have perfonally knownt not only the Man, but 
 his Life and Conv-erfation, for the 'Time by 
 them certified', and do believe in their Con^ 
 fcience, that he is qualified for that Order ^ 
 Office or Employment, which he defires. Now 
 Teftimonials concerning fucliThingsasthefe, 
 cannot be Matter of mere Form, unlefs our 
 whole Profeffion be a very empty Form* We, 
 the Bilhops to whom they are given, do not, 
 and mufl not, underftand them to be fo : 
 It would be abfurd to demand them if we 
 did. Some Cuftoms indeed may grow to be 
 Things of Courfe : the Reafons for them 
 ceafing, or not being thought of Moment j 
 and yet the Law for them continuing. But 
 the Reafons for Teftimonials can never ceafe 
 or be thought of fmall Moment. They are 
 the only ordinary Information that we have, 
 in a Cafe of the utmoft Importance, in which 
 we have a Right to be informed. For no 
 one can imagine, that we are to ordain and 
 employ whoever comes, or depend on clan^ 
 deftine Intelligence. We muft therefore and 
 to depend on regular Teftimonials. And 
 if they be untrue, we are mod injurioufly 
 deceived by them: and all the Mifchiefs, 
 8 that
 
 firfl Charge to hh Clergv. 225 
 
 ^hat follow from thence, will fit heavy one 
 Day on the Deceivers. But, even excla- 
 fively of this great Confideration, would you 
 be chargeable with declaring a deliberate 
 Falfehood under your Hand? Would you 
 have unworthy Men fill ecclefiaftical Sta- 
 tions and exclude their Betters ? Would 
 you have your Bifliop reproached^ and your 
 Order vilified, through your Fault? If not; 
 remember, how utterly inconfiftent with all 
 Concern for Religion, with all Veracity, 
 Probity and Prudence it is, to Hgn Teftimo- 
 nials at random; how lamentable a Sort of 
 Clergy it will produce; how dreadful an En- 
 couragement to Wickednefs and Profanenefs 
 it will prove. Remember alfo, that you 
 exprefs in thefe Inftruments, not what you 
 charitably hope a Perfon will be; but what 
 you adually know he hath been : not what 
 others tell you at the End of the Time, for 
 which you vouch; but what you have feea 
 and heard through the Courfc of it : io that, 
 if for a confiderable Part of the three Years, 
 commonly fpecified, you have feen and 
 heard Nothing of him, for that Part you can 
 certify Nothing about him. And remember, 
 
 P laftly.
 
 226 The /irMiJhop of Cat^tjlrbvry^s 
 
 laftly, that though the Affirmation of a Fer- 
 fon's having lived piouflyj, foberly and ho- 
 neftly, comprehends a great deal, yet the 
 concluding Article, your Belief of his Fit- 
 nefs for what he defires, implies a great deal 
 more. For let him be ever fo good and event 
 learned a Man, he cannot be fit for a Cler- 
 gyman and the Care of a Parifh, without 
 competent Gravity and Difcretion, and a 
 Voice and a Manner fuitable to a public 
 AfTembly: of all v^^hich Things they, that 
 have had feme Familiarity with him, are 
 ufuaily the beft, if not the only Judges. This 
 Part of the Teftimonial therefore is highly 
 neceiTary: and every Part of it mufc be well 
 confidered, before it is given j and no Re- 
 gard paid to Neighbourhood, Acquaintance, 
 Friendship, Compaffion, Importunity, when 
 they fland in Competition with Truth. 
 
 It may fometimes be hard for you to re- 
 fufe your Hand to improper Perfons. But 
 it is only one of the many Hardships, which 
 Confcience bids Men undergo refolutely, 
 when they are called to them. It would 
 be much harder, that your Bifhop fliould be 
 milled, the Church of God injured, and the 
 4 poor
 
 Jirjl Charge to hh Clerg y* 227 
 
 poor Wretch himfelf aflifted to invade facri- 
 legioufly an Office, at the Thought of which 
 he hath Caufe to tremble. And if you fear 
 he will be revenged on you for not yield- 
 ing to him, this furnifhes an additional Rea- 
 fon for denying him : for will you, or can 
 you, fay of fuch a one, that he is qualified 
 to be a Minifter of the Gofpel any where ? 
 But if the Perfons, to whom Candidates 
 apply, would only make it a Rule to meet, 
 and adt jointly on the Occafion, and 
 keep fecret the Particulars of what pafTed^ 
 it might be unknown, from whom the 
 Denial proceeded. Or fuppofe it known, 
 the Refentment of fuch, as deferve to be 
 refufed, will feldom do a worthy Man 
 much Hurt : and a Number of fuch Refufals 
 will do the Pubhc unfpeakablc Good. In- 
 deed the Expecflation of a Refufal's follow- 
 ing upon wrong Behaviour will in a great 
 Degree prevent fuch Behaviour, and turn 
 this whole Difficulty into a Pleafure. But 
 what is unavoidable with Innocence, mufl 
 be virtuoufly born: and inftcad of fubmit- 
 ting to recommend unfit Perfons, you ought, 
 
 P2 if
 
 22 8 7he Archblflwp o/" C an T e R fi u r r *^ 
 
 if others recommend them, which God for- 
 bid, to interpofe immediate Cautions againft 
 the Danger, in all flagrant Cafes. Still not 
 every pafl: Fault, nor every prefent Infir- 
 mity, fhould be aliedged, or allowed, as an 
 Impediment. But into an Office, the moft 
 important of all others, none fhould be ad- 
 mitted, who are void of the proper Spirit, 
 or a competent Share of the needful Qualifi- 
 cations for it : and the lefs, becaufe, though 
 we can refufe to ordain them, we often can- 
 not keep them back from very unfuitable 
 Stations, when once they are ordained. 
 
 After prefenting the Title and Teftimo- 
 nials, whether for Orders, a Curacy, or a 
 Living, follows the Examination. For 
 though the Teflimonial expreifes an Opinion 
 that the Perfon is qualified -, which may be 
 very ufeful, to reftrain fuch from applying 
 as are notorioufly unqualified; yet we Bifliops 
 mud not, efpecially in the Cafe of Orders, 
 refl on a mere Opinion ; but alTure ourfelves 
 by a clofer Trial, whether he hath fufficient 
 Knowledge of Religion and the Holy Scrip- 
 tures to teach them in public, and apply 
 
 them
 
 Jirft Charge to his Clv^iilcy, 229 
 
 them In private, and defend them againft 
 Oppofers: the two firft of which are abfo- 
 lutely neceflary; the third, highly requifite. 
 As therefore, on the one Hand, I hope I ne- 
 ver have been or Ihall be over ftricft in this 
 Refped, and rejeding Candidates will give 
 me;almofl:, if not quite, as much Concern, 
 as it can give them: fo on the other, I muft 
 adhere to my Duty 3 againft all Solicitations 
 of Friends, and all Intreaties of the Parties 
 concerned, who little think what they do, 
 when they prefs into fuch an Employment 
 prematurely. I ftiew my Regard to you, 
 when I exclude unqualified Perfons out of 
 your Number: and I fliall never doubt your 
 candid Interpretation of my Condud ; nor 
 indeed your Zeal to vindicate it, when you 
 are acquainted with my Reafons, which any 
 of you fhall, who hath Caufe to all: them. 
 But that no Injuflice may be done to thofe 
 whom I poftpone, any more than to myfelf: 
 I befeech you to confide-r, and, if needful, to 
 fay in their Behalf, that though deficient 
 in Knowledo'e, thev mav have a Goodnefs 
 of Heart, more valuable than the higheft 
 Knowledge : though not qualified yet, they 
 
 P 3 may
 
 23© '^he Arcbl;iJhoJ) of Cant erbvry's 
 
 may be foon 3 may already have made a 
 good Progrefs, though not a fufficietit one 5 
 may indeed have more Learning on the 
 Whole, than many who are admitted, only 
 not have applied themfelves enough to theo- 
 logical Learning. 
 
 Examination mud occafionally be repeated 
 after Perfons have been ordained. The 39th 
 Canon requires it before Lnftitution to Bene- 
 fices : therefore furely it is advifable alfo be- 
 fore Admiffion to Curacies. A Man, who 
 was fit to be ordained, may have become 
 iince, through Negligence, or bodily Indif- 
 pofition affecling his Mind, unfit to be em- 
 ployed: or he may be capable ftill of what 
 he was ordained for, but not of what he 
 applies for: or his Ordainer, though ever fo 
 duly careful, may fometimes have miftaken, 
 or been mifmformed : and if he hath 
 chanced to be too indulgent, the bad Effects 
 of his Indulgence ought to be prevented^ 
 Accordingly Re-examination is common. 
 My Brethren the Bifhops, I am fure, will 
 not blame me for ufing it : and I truft, you 
 my Brethren will not. 
 
 When
 
 Jirjl Charge fo bis Cltlrcy. 231 
 
 When a Curate nominated hath been exa- 
 mined and approved, the next Step is, to 
 appoint him a Salary. And here I am very 
 feniible, that what is far from a comfortable 
 M.iintenance for Life, may however be a 
 tolerable Competency at iirfl:: and like wife, 
 that fome Benefices are fo mean, and fome 
 Incumbents in fuch low Circumftances, or 
 burthened with fo numerous Families, that 
 they muft be excufed, if they endeavour to 
 get Help on as eafy Terms, as they well 
 can. But if any Minifter, who hath either a 
 large Preferment, or two moderate ones, or 
 a plentiful temporal Income, tries to make 
 a hard Bargain with his Brother, v;hom he 
 employs ; and is more folicitous to give the 
 fmalleft Salary poffible, than to find the 
 worthieft Perfon j it is Matter of fevere and 
 juft Reproach: the Friends of the Clergy 
 will be fcandalized at it : their Enemies will 
 take dreadful Advantages of it: indeed the 
 People in general, if we think a Trifle 
 enough for him that doth the Work, will 
 be apt to conceive it very needlefs, that he, 
 who doth little or nothing, fliould have a 
 great deal more. For this Reafon therefore, 
 
 P 4 amongft
 
 232 I'he Archbifiop ^p/Canterbury'^ 
 
 amongft imcomparably weightier ones, \\ 
 concerns you much, both to labour dili- 
 gently, and to allow liberally. Accordingly 
 I hope I fhall never have the difagreeable 
 Office thrown upon me of augmenting what 
 is propofed, but the Satisfaction given me 
 of confirming and applauding it. 
 
 But belides making a reafonable Allow- 
 ance, the Minifter of a Parish ought to 
 provide, with the kindeft Attention in all 
 Refpeds, for the Convenience and Accom-r 
 modation, the Credit and Influence, of his 
 Curate : who is bound in Return to confult 
 faithfully the Minifter^s Honour and Intereft 
 in every thing ^ but above all, to be un- 
 wearied in that bed. Proof of his Grati- 
 titude, a confcientious Care of the Souls com- 
 mitted to him ; not proportioning his Dili- 
 gence to the poor Recompence paid hirn 
 here, but to the unfpeakable Happinefs re- 
 ferved for good Shepherds hereafter. 
 
 Indeed whether the Principal, or his Re- 
 prefentative, or both refide, their Induftry 
 and Fervency and Prudence will be the 
 Meafure of their people's Benefit, and their 
 own final Acceptance. If you content your- 
 
 felves
 
 firji Charge to his Clergy. 2^5 
 
 felves with a languid formal Recital of ftated 
 Offices, and by Indolence, or Amufements, 
 or Bufinefs, or even Studies, are loft to your 
 PariHiioners, while you are in the Midft of 
 them, or by Indifcrctions in Converfation, 
 Drefs, or Demeanour, become dilliked or 
 defpifed by them, you may in Refpedl of 
 any fpiiitual Ufefulnels to them or your- 
 felves, be, almoft as well, perhaps better, 
 ever fo far off. But this is no Excufe for 
 being abfent, but only a Reafon for being 
 prefent to good Purpole. And as the Non- 
 relidence of fome, the unadive Refidence of 
 others, and the oft»;nfive Condu(5t of a third 
 Sort, (which caufe great Sorrow, but mo- 
 derate Complaints amongft wife and good 
 People,) are favourite Topics of Invedive 
 againft us, not only in the Mouths of irre- 
 ligious Perfons, but of a new Sed pretend- 
 ing to the ftrideft Piety ; though we are 
 bound always, we are peculiarly bound at 
 prefent, to behave in fo exemplary a Man- 
 ner, as will cut off Occajion from them 'which 
 dcfire Occafwfi to glory ^ of themfelves, and 
 fpeak Evil of us. It is not rendering to 
 
 * 2 Cor. xi. 12. 
 
 them
 
 2 3 4- ^^'^ ArchUfiop (^/^CANTERBURy'i 
 
 them Railing for Railing^'., it is not ridicu-* 
 ling them, efpecially in Terms bordering on 
 Profanenefs, or arfeding more gravely to 
 hold them in Contempt ^ it is not doing 
 them the Honour of mifcalling other Perfons 
 of more than ordinary Serioufnefs by their 
 Name, that will prevent the Continuance 
 cr the Increafe of the Harm, which they 
 are doing. The only Way is, for the 
 Clergy to imitate and emulate what is good 
 in them, avoiding what is bad : to attend 
 their Cures, edify their Parifhioners with 
 awakening, but rational and fcriptural, Dif- 
 courfes, converfe much with them as Watch- 
 men for their ^ouh^ ^ be fiber, grave, tenipe-^ 
 rate, and fl jew themf elves in alll^hings Patterns 
 cf good Works ^ If the People fee, or but 
 imagine, their Minifter unwilling to take 
 more Pains about them, or preferve more 
 Guard upon himfelf than for Shame he muft, 
 no Wonder if it alienates them powerfully 
 both from him and his Dodrine : whereas 
 when they perceive him careful to inflrud: 
 them, and go before them, in whatever is 
 their Duty to do, they will hearken to him 
 * I Pel. iJi. 9. • Heb. xiii. 17, ^ Tit. ii. 2, 7. 
 
 with
 
 firjl Charge to his Clergy. 235 
 
 with great Regard, when he cautions them 
 againft overdoing j and be unlikely tofeekfor 
 imaginary Improvements abroad from Irre- 
 gularities and Extravagances, vvhilft they 
 experience themfelves really improved at 
 Home in an orderly efiablidied Method. 
 
 But then, to improve them effcdually to 
 their future Happinefs, as well as to filence 
 falfe Accufers,you nuifl be affiduous in teach- 
 ing the Principles, not only of Virtue and 
 natural Religion, but of the Gofpel: and of 
 the Gofpel, not as almofl: explained away by 
 modern Refiners, but as the Truth is in 
 ytfus^y as it is taught by the Church, of 
 which you are Members ; as you have en- 
 gaged, by your Subfcriptions and Declara- 
 tions, that you will teach it yourfelves. You 
 mud: preach to them Faith in the ever- 
 bleffed Trinity: and vindicate, when it is re- 
 quiiite, thofe Parts of our Creeds and 
 OiHces which relate to that Article, from 
 the very unjufl: Imputations of Abfurdity 
 and Uncharitablenefs which have been caft 
 upon them. You mull: fet forth the original 
 Corruption of our Nature; our Redemption, 
 
 sEph. iv. 21. 
 
 cccording
 
 £3^ 'The Archbijlop o/'CANTERBURY*i' 
 
 according to God's eternal Purj-zofe in Chrijl ^, 
 by the Sacrifice of the Crols j our Sandifica- 
 tion by the Influences of the Divine Spirit ^ 
 the InfufHcieney of our own good Works, 
 and the Efficacy of Faith to Salvation : yet 
 handling thefe Points in a doctrinal, not 
 controverfial Manner, uniefs particularly call- 
 ed toiti and even then treating Adverfaries 
 with Mildnefs and Pity, not with Bitternefs 
 or immoderate Vehemence. 
 
 The Truth, I fear, is, that many, if not 
 moft of us, have dwelt too little on thefe 
 Dodrines in our Sermons : by no means, in 
 general, from dilbelieving or flighting them; 
 but partly from knowing, that formerly they 
 had been inculcated beyond their Proportion, 
 and even to the Difparagement of Chriftian 
 Obedience; partly from fancying them fo 
 generally received and remembered, that little 
 needs to be faid, but on fecial Obligations; 
 partly again from not having ftudied Theo- 
 logy deeply enough, to treat of them ably and 
 beneficially: God grant it may never have been 
 for Want of inwardly experiencing their Im- 
 
 \ Eph. iii. II. 
 
 portancc.
 
 fir ft Charge to /?>/; ClergV. 237 
 
 portance. But whatever be the caufe, the Ef- 
 fed hath been lamentable. Our People have 
 grown lefs and lefs mindful, firft of the dif- 
 tinguifliing Articles of their Creed, then, as 
 will always be the Cafe, of that one, which 
 they hold in common with the Heathens -, 
 have forgot in Effed: their Creator as well 
 as their Redeemer and Sanctlfier; feldom or 
 never ferioufly worfhipping him, or think- 
 ing of the State of their Souls in Relation to 
 him; but flattering themfelves, that what 
 they are pleafed to call a moral and harmlefs 
 Life, though far from being either, is the 
 one Thifig needful. Reflections have been made 
 upon us, of different Natures, and with dif- 
 ferent Views, on Account of thefe Thing?, 
 by Deifts, by Papifts, by Brethren of our 
 own, which it is eafy to fliew have been much 
 too fevere. But the only complete Vindica- 
 tion of ourfelves will be to preach fully and 
 frequently the Dodlrines, which we are un- 
 juftly accufed of cafling ofl' or undervaluing : 
 yet fo, as to referve always a due Share of our 
 Difcourfes, which it is generally reported 
 fomeofourCenfurers do not, for the common 
 Duties of common Life, as did our Saviour 
 
 and
 
 53S "The Archhijljop ^Canterbury'! 
 
 and his Apoftles. But then we muft enforce 
 them chiefly by Motives peculiarly Chriftian i 
 I will not fay, only by fuchj for the Scrip- 
 ture adds others. And while we urge on our 
 Hearers the Necefiity of univerfal Holinefs, 
 we muft urge equally that of their being 
 found in Chriji 3 7iGt haviftg ihsir own Righ- 
 teoufnefsy which is of the Law, but the Righ^ 
 teoufnefsy which is of God by Faith ^ 
 
 Copious and intereuing as the Subjed is, 
 I muft now conclude. And I befeech you, Bre^ 
 thren, fiiffir the Word of Exhortation^ : for 
 I have fpoken to you from the Simplicity of 
 a plain Heart, and the Sincerity of a deep 
 Concern for the Interefts of the Church of 
 Chrift, and the everlafting Welfare of every 
 one of you: not as condemning, not as dif- 
 efteeming you, very far from it, but as being 
 jealous over you with godly Jealoufy, and 
 deeply affeded with the prefent State of Re- 
 ligion amongft us. Wickednefs, Profane- 
 nefs, avowed infidelity, have made a dreadful 
 Progrefs in this Nation. The civil Power, 
 in moft Cafes, doth little to check that Pro- 
 grefs : and it is an Unhappincfs in our moft 
 
 ^Phil. iii. 9. * Heb, xiii. 22, 
 
 happy
 
 Jirjl Charge to his Clergy. i^C) 
 
 happy Conflitutlon, that it cannot eafily, if 
 at all, do what one might widi. Eccl^fi- 
 aftical Authority is not only too much 
 limited but too much defpifed, as Matters 
 now ftand amongO: us, to do almoft any 
 Thing to Parpofe. In the fmall Degree, that 
 it can be exerted ufefully, I hope it will, 
 and promife my utmod: Endeavours, in all 
 Cafes notified to me, that it (hall. But the 
 main Support of Piety and Morals confifls 
 in the parochial Labours of the Clergy. If 
 our Country is to be preferved from utter 
 Profligatenefs and Ruin, it muft be by our 
 Means: and, take Notice, we cannot lofe 
 our Influence, but in a great Meafure by our 
 own Fault. If we look on what we are 
 apt to call our Livings only as our Lireli- 
 hoods, and think of little more than living 
 on the Income of them according to our 
 own Inclinations: if, for Want of (3 good Coji- 
 fcience or Faith unfeigned}^ we forfeit the 
 Protecftion of God j and by Worldlincfs, or 
 Indolence, or Levity in Behaviour, Talk, or 
 Appearance, (for grofs Vices I put out of 
 the Queftion) lofe, as we aflured fliall, the 
 
 * I Tim, i. 5. 
 
 Reverence
 
 240 T^he Archhijlop o/^CANTERBURY'i 
 
 Reverence of Mankind : there will be n6 
 Foundation left for us to ftand upon. Our 
 legal Eftablifhment will fhalte and fink un- 
 der us, if once it can be faid we do the 
 Public little Service -, and much fooner if we 
 are fufpcded of difquieting it. Wicked Peo- 
 ple will attack us without Referve ; the good 
 will be forced to condemn and give us up : 
 and well would it be for us if this were the 
 word. // is a f mall lihing to be judged of 
 Mans 'Judgment : He, that judgeth us, is the 
 luord^. But while we teach the genuine 
 Truths of the Gofpel, and evidently feel the 
 Truths we teach ; and are more anxious 
 about the Souls of Men, than our own Pro- 
 jfit, or Pleafure, or Power; while we fubmit 
 Gurfelves dutifully and affedionately, (as we 
 never had greater Caufe) to the Ki7ig and 
 thofe who are put in Authority under him 5 
 had quiet and peaceable Lives i:i all Godlinefs 
 and honejly^', and join to our Piety and 
 Loyalty and Virtue, but a common fhare 
 of Prudence: we (hall, in Spite of Enemies, 
 through his Mercy, who hath promifed ta 
 be with us alway"", not fail of beiug upheld, 
 
 » I Cor. iv. 3, 4. "I Tim. ii. 7.. • Matth. xxviii. 20. 
 
 The
 
 firji Charge to his Clergy. 241 
 
 The religious will ejleejn us 'very highly in 
 Love for our Work's Sake ^ : the wife in their 
 Generation'^, though not religious, will per- 
 ceive our Importance : the vicious and defti- 
 tute of Principle will be awed by us : and 
 the Seed of the Word, however trampled 
 under Foot by feme, will fpring up and 
 bear Fruit in the Hearts of many. Let us 
 think then ferioufly, what depends on us, 
 what it requires of us, and give otirfehesivhol- 
 ly to it\ God hath placed us in a Station of 
 Difficulty and Labour, at prefent alfo of Re- 
 proach and Contempt from great Numbers 
 of Men. But ftill, if we only learn to 
 value our Fundion juftly, and love it fin- 
 cerely, we fliall be unfpeakably happier in 
 difcharging the Duties of it, than we pof- 
 fibly can be in any Thing clfe. The Things, 
 in which the World places Happinefs, are 
 very Trifles. We may plainly fee them to 
 be fuch now, if we will : and we fliall fee 
 in a little Time, whether we will or nor, 
 that the only real Point of Moment is, to 
 have approved o\x:^c\\ts good andfaithfid Ser^ 
 
 p I ThefT. V. 13. <» Lukexvi. 8. 
 
 ' I Tim. iv. 15. 
 
 Q^ vants
 
 242 7he Ahp, o/'CANTERBURY'i Charge, 5cc^ 
 
 vants^ to our great Mafter. Let us all 
 therefore bear in Mind continually, how 
 Matters will appear to us then j and heartily 
 pray and earneftly endeavour, Jo to pafs 
 through Things temporal , that ive finally lofe 
 not the Things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly 
 Father, for Je/us Chrijt's Sake, our Lord\ 
 
 » Matth. XXV. 21. * Coll. 4th Sunday after Trinity, 
 
 A CHARGE
 
 A 
 
 CHARGE 
 
 DISTRIBUTED TO THE 
 
 CLERGY of the Diocese 
 
 OF 
 
 CANTERBURY, 
 
 In the Year 1762. 
 
 The Archbishop bcin^; hindered by Illnefs from 
 vifuing thcin in Pcrfon. 
 
 Qj2
 
 Reverend Brethren^ 
 
 IT having pleafed God that I fliould live 
 to come amongft you a fecond Time, I 
 think it my Duty to proceed with the fame 
 Kind of Exhortations, which I gave you at 
 firfl:. For though many Subjeds of Inftruc- 
 tion might be proper, there is a peculiar 
 Propriety in thofe, which relate more im- 
 mediately to your Condud : and though I 
 might very juftly give you, in general, Praife 
 inftead of Advice, yet they who dcferve the 
 moft of the former, will be mod defirous of 
 the latter, knowing how much Need of it the 
 bed of us have. And I hope the Freedoms 
 which I {hall take with you in this Refpe6t, 
 will the rather be pardoned, as I both permit 
 and intreat you to ufe the fame with me, 
 v/hen Occafion requires it; being fincerely 
 
 0^3 difpofed,
 
 246 The ArchbiJJjop of Canterbury's 
 
 difpofed, if I know myfelf, to fet you an 
 Example of Docility. 
 
 I began with your Obligation to Refidence ; 
 and the Appointment of Curates, either to 
 fupply your Abfence when you could not re- 
 fide, or to afliO: you when the Work was too 
 heavy for you. And then I entered a little 
 into the common Duties of Incumbents and 
 Curates, in which I fhall now make fome 
 further Progiefs: more folicitous about the 
 Importance of Direiflions, than the Accuracy 
 of Method; and ufing no other Apology, if 
 I fhould happen to repeat what I have given 
 you in Charge already, than that of the 
 Apoftle : To fay the fame Things, to me is not 
 grievous, and for ycu it isfafe '*. 
 
 The fame Apoflle's Admonition Co Timothy 
 is. Take Heed unto thyfelf and to the Do^rine°, 
 The main Point is what he begins with, 
 the Care of our Temper and Behaviour. 
 For without that, our Preaching will feldom 
 be fuch as it ought, and fcarceever bring 
 forth its proper Fruits. Now a Chriftian 
 Temper confifts of various Parts : but the 
 |irft Impreflion, which a genuine Faith in 
 
 ? Phil.iii. i; ^ i Tim. iv. 16. 
 
 the
 
 fecofid Charge fo Lis Clergy, 247 
 
 the Gofpel makes on the Soul, and the ruling 
 Principle, which it fixes there, is a deep 
 Senfe of Love to God and our Fellow- 
 creatures, producing an earneft Defire, that 
 we and they may be. for ever happy in his 
 Prefence. Whoever therefore is deftitute of 
 this Feeling, ought not, though free from 
 grofs Vices, to become a Clergyman : and 
 without obtaining it from the Giver of all 
 good Things by fervent Prayer, no Man is 
 qualified to fill the Place of one. For not- 
 "withftanding that he may preferve fome 
 Form of Godlinefsy without which he would 
 be milchievous and (hocking in the highefl 
 Degree : yet not having the Reality and 
 Power thereof ^j he muft profefs, and feem- 
 ingly attempt to make others what he is 
 far from being himfelf. Confequently his 
 Endeavours out of the Pulpit will be infre- 
 quent, reludlant, faint : and in it they will 
 at bcfl: be unnatural and ungraceful, what- 
 ever Pains he may take in his Compofitions, 
 or whatever Vehemence he may affedl in 
 his Delivery. Hence he will be diflatisfied 
 ivithin, detededand difcrteemed by thejudi- 
 
 « 2 Tim. iii. 5. 
 
 0^4 cioui
 
 248 ^he Archhifloop ^ C A N t e R b u R y V 
 
 cions Part of his Hearers, and of little Ufc 
 to the reft, if lie is not even hurtful by 
 milleading them. Or whatever his Cafe 
 may be amongft Men, his inward Want of 
 the Piety, which he outwardly pretends to, 
 mufl: render him uncommonly guilty in the 
 Sisht of God. Heaven forbid, that I fliould 
 have Need to enlarge on fuch a Charader in 
 this Audience. 
 
 But have we not mod of us Caufe to 
 apprehend, that our religious Principles, 
 though fincere, are not fufficiently exerted; 
 and therefore produce not the Fruit, which 
 they might? Do we not rather take it for 
 granted, that we approve ourfelves to be duly 
 in earneH:, than find on impartial Examina- 
 tion, that we do? No Man fliould rafnly fay 
 or furmife this of another ; but every one 
 fliould fearch H^ome into it for himfelf. And 
 we fliould attentively read the Scriptures, 
 and the Treatifes written by wife and good 
 Men concerning; the Duties of God's Mini- 
 flers : to fee if we are fuch as they defcribe» 
 and ftir up ourfelves to become fuch as we 
 ought. 
 
 Good Inclinations, thus excited, will not 
 
 fail,
 
 fecond Charge to his Clergy. 249 
 
 fail, through the Afliftance of divine Grace, 
 of direding us into a fuitable Conduct:. And 
 were a Man, who confelledly means well, to 
 overdo a little fomctimes, the Rightnefs of 
 his Intention would plead his Excufc very 
 ftrongly. However, we (houldcarefully avoid 
 Extremes, even on the better Side: not 
 give uncominanded Demonftrations of our 
 Chnflian Zeal, when they will probably 
 ferve no good Purpofe, and be deemed 
 Oitentation, or turned into Ridicule, or 
 provoke ill Humour : but reftrain, according 
 as Times and Places and Company may 
 require, the Sentiments winch elfe we could 
 be gldd to utter. Only we muft do this in 
 fuch a Manner, as not to tempt the mod 
 rigid FrofeiTir of Religion to imagine, or 
 the moft profligate Enemy of it to fuggefl, 
 that we have little or none : but flievv our 
 Concern for it on every fit Occafiun, with 
 full as much Diligence, as we decline unfit 
 ones. And here, I conceive, it is, that 
 we of the Clergy are chiefly apt to fail. 
 We do not always appear in the common 
 Jntercourfes of Life, fufiiciently penetrated 
 with the Importance of our Fandion, or 
 
 iutliciently
 
 250 ^be Archbljhop c/^Canterbury'j 
 
 fufficlently afiiduous to promote the Ends of 
 our Miffion. 
 
 Too poffibly a great Part of our People 
 may like the lukewarm amongft us the 
 better for refembling themfelves, and giving 
 them no Uneafinefs on Comparifon, but 
 feeming to authorize their Indifference, But 
 then, fuch of us can do them no Good. Our 
 Example can teach them Nothing beyond a 
 little decent Regularity, in which they will 
 fancy they need not quite come up to us 
 neither. Our Sermons, and reading of 
 Prayers, they will confider only as Matters 
 of Form: and finding in us hardly any 
 Thing at other Times of what we exprefs 
 at thefe, they will prefume, that our inward 
 Regard to it is not very great, and that they 
 are not bound to have more. Therefore 
 if they are pleafed with us, if they efteem 
 us, while we continue to be of this Turn, 
 it muft be for fomething foreign from our 
 Office, fomething of a middle, or it may be 
 a blameable Nature, not as Teachers of the 
 Gofpel : a Charader which they take us to 
 lay afide as much as we well can. And fo 
 the better they think of Us, the more lightly 
 
 they
 
 fecond Charge to bisCL'Ev.GY. 2 5 F 
 
 they will think of our Minller ; till at 
 length they join with thole avowed Infidels, 
 who boldly affirm, though often againfl: their 
 own Confciences, that we believe not what 
 we preach, elfe it would have more Influence 
 upon us. 
 
 Then, at the fame Time, the right Difpo- 
 fitionsof well inclined Perfons will languifh 
 and decay, for Want of that Countenance 
 and Affiftance in ferious Piety, which they 
 fhould receive from their Paftors. For if 
 the Tokens of our Piety be confined to the 
 Church, they will be of little Service either 
 out of it, or in it. Or if fome good People 
 fuffer no Harm themfelves from our Defeds, 
 they will fee with great Sorrow that others 
 do : all of them will be much readier to 
 think the Clerical Older in general carelefs 
 and light, if thofe are fo, of whom they fee 
 moft : their Ears will be open to the Invec- 
 tives, which artful or heated Men are daily 
 pouring forth againfl us; they will eafily be 
 led to undervalue and mifconflrue the befl 
 Inftrudions of thofe, with whom they are 
 difgufted ; and run after any Teachers, who 
 have the powerful Recommendation, for 
 
 it
 
 252 The ArM/fiopofC ANTE JiBVKY*s 
 
 it will always, and no Wonder, be a very 
 
 powerful one, of feeming more in earneft. 
 
 The Irregularities and Divifions which have 
 
 prevailed fo lamentably in our Church of 
 
 late, are greatly owing to an Opinion, that 
 
 we are ufually indixFerent about vital inward 
 
 Religion, It is tru's, the Spreaders of this 
 
 Imputation, which hath been monftroufly 
 
 exaggerated, will have much to anfwcr for : 
 
 but fo fhall we alfo, unlefs we take the only 
 
 Way to filence it, by cutting off hereafter all 
 Occalion for it. 
 
 Now the firft neceffiry Step to feem good 
 is to be fo; for mere Pretence will be fccn 
 through: and the next is, to let your Light 
 Jhine before Meji^, in the faithful and laborious 
 Ei^ercife of your fundion. Living amongll 
 your Parifhoners, or as near them as may 
 be: inquiring frequently and perfonally con- 
 cerning the Welfare and Behaviour of thofe, 
 with whom you cannot be ftatedly prefent^ 
 reverent and judicious Reading of the Prayers 
 and Leffons in your Churches, inflrudive 
 and affeding Sermons delivered with dif- 
 creet Warmth, Readinefs to take extraor- 
 
 •* Matt. V 16. 
 
 J dinary
 
 fecond Charge /o /j/i Clergy. 25^ 
 
 dinary Pains for the occafional AfTidance of 
 your Brethren, Diligence in forming the 
 Youth to a Senfe of their Chriftian Duty, 
 in bringing your People to the holy Com- 
 munion, and where it can be,, to Weck-Day 
 Prayers: all thefe Thing will tend very 
 much both to your Ufefulnefs and your 
 Credit. Relieving or obtaining Relief for 
 fuch as are diftrefled in their Circumftances: 
 hearing your People willingly and patiently, 
 though perhaps low in Rank or weak in 
 Underftanding, when they would confult 
 you upon any Difficulty, and anfwering them 
 with Confideration andTendernefs: difpofino- 
 them to be vifited when fick, praying by 
 them with Fervency, exhorting and comfort- 
 ing them with Fidelity, Compaflion and 
 Prudence; and reminding them ftrongly, yet 
 mildly, after their Recovery, of their good 
 Thoughts and Purpofcs during their Illnefs; 
 will be further Proofs, very beneficial and 
 very engaging ones, of your Serioufnefs: 
 which however you muft complete by going 
 through every other Office of Religion with 
 Dignity. I will fpecify two. 
 
 One
 
 2 54 ^'^^ Archbijhop c/"Canterbury*j 
 
 One is that of Baptlfm: which, efpecially 
 when adminiftered in private Houfes without 
 Neceffity, is too often treated, even during 
 the Adminiflration, rather as an idle Cere- 
 mony than a Chriftian Sacrament: or how- 
 ever that be, is commonly clofe followed by 
 very unfuitablc, if not otherwife alfo indecent 
 Levity and Jollity. Now in thefe Circum- 
 ftancesit is highly requifite, that the Minifter 
 ihould, by a due Mixture of Gravity and 
 Judgement, fupport the Solemnity of the Or- 
 dinance ; and either prevent Improprieties 
 in the Sequel, or if it be doubtful whether 
 he can, excufe himfelf, with a civil Intima- 
 tion of the Unfitnefs of them, from being 
 prefent. The other Inflance is, that of faying 
 Grace over our daily Food: which many, if 
 not moft, of the Laity have, with a Profane- 
 nefs more than heathenifii, laid afide: and I 
 am forry to add, that fome of the Clergy 
 hurry it over fo irreverently, in a Mutter or a, 
 Whifper, fcarce, if at all, intelligible, that 
 one might queftion, v/hether they had not 
 better lay it afide too, which yet God forbid, 
 than make it thus infignificant; and expofe 
 
 to
 
 fecond Charge io his Clergy. 255 
 
 to Contempt an Ad of Devotion, and them- 
 felves along with it, as doing what they are 
 afhamed of. 
 
 Indeed far from authorizing any Slights 
 of this Sort by our Example, and as it were 
 our Confent, we muO: through our whole 
 Converfation fteadily and refolutely, though 
 with Mildnefs and Modefty, always keep 
 up the Honour of Religion and our Order, 
 which is infeparable from our own : never 
 fpeak a Word, or ufe a Gefture, which can 
 with the leafl Colour be interpreted, as if 
 we had fmall Regard to our Profeffion, or 
 exercifed it chiefly for a Maintenance : never 
 repeat, never hear, Difcourfes of an irreli- 
 gious or immoral Turn, without exprefling 
 a plain Difapprobation, briefly or at large, as 
 the Cafe may require : yet be on all Occa- 
 fions courteous, and on proper Occafions 
 cheerful j but let it be evidently the Cheer- 
 ful nefs of ferious Men. FooUjlj Talking and 
 yefling are not con^cenient'', not becoming any 
 Perfon : but thofe leaft of all, who fliould 
 know beft, that every idle Word ivhicb 
 Men fiall fpeak ^ they Jhall give an Account 
 
 * Eph. V. 4. 
 
 thereof,
 
 256 T!hc ArchhtJIdOp ^Canterbury*^ 
 
 thereof i according to its Tendency, in the "Day 
 cf yudgment^. Unfeafonable or exceffive 
 Mirth fits peculiarly ill upon him whofe 
 Office muft or ought to bring before his 
 Mind fo frequently, the Afiiidions of this 
 mortal State, the Holinefs of God's Law, 
 his own grievous Imperfedlions, the de- 
 plorable Sins of many others, and the final 
 Sentence, that awaits us all. Doubtlefs we 
 fhould endeavour to make Religion agreeable; 
 but not to make ourfelves agreeable, by 
 leading our Company to forget Religion. 
 We fhould every one of uspleafe his Neighbour 
 for his Good^ : but not fo pleafe Men^ as to 
 fail in the Charader of Servants of Chrif ^^ 
 We fliould be jnade, in a fitting Senfe and 
 Meafurc, all Things to all Men, that we may 
 hy all Means fave fome' : but we fhall lofe 
 ourfelves, not lave others, if we are quite 
 different Perfons in the Pulpit and out of 
 it : nor can we act a more incongruous 
 Part, than to chufe raifing and promoting 
 the Laugh for our Province in Ccnverfation, 
 inftead of duly rellraining our own Liveli- 
 
 f Matt. xii. 36. 8 Rom. XV. 2. ''Gal.i. 10, 
 
 ' I Cor, ix. 22, 
 
 nefs
 
 fecond Chargi to his Cle R G r . 2 57 
 
 nefs and that of others. For out of the 
 
 Abundance oj the Heart the Mouth fpeaketh ^ : 
 
 and our Hearts ought to abound with better 
 
 Things. I own, both affcded and exceflive 
 
 Reftraint will do Harm. But if we are 
 
 fincerely pious, and endeavour to be prudent, 
 
 we fhall combine ufeful Informations and 
 
 Refledions with harmlefs Entertainment: 
 
 our Speech 'will be with Grace, feafoned with 
 
 Salty that we may know how we ought to 
 anjwer every Mari" : we iliall prove that we 
 
 have the End of our Minilky conftantly 
 
 Jn View, by drawing profitable LefTons, 
 
 ifrequently, but naturally, out of Topics of 
 
 Indifferences and bringing back the Dif- 
 
 courfe, if it goes afrray, from exceptionable 
 
 or unfafe Subjeds, to innocent ones; yet 
 
 if pofiible without offenfive Reproof, and 
 
 perhaps imperceptibly. For the Servant of 
 
 the Lord mufi not ftrive, that is, roughly, 
 
 and hardily, but be gentle unto all Men ™, 
 
 even tUe worft. Yet on the other Hand 
 
 fervile Obfequioufnefs, ov jlattering Words'", 
 
 even to the beft, are far remote from having 
 
 ^ Matth.xii. 34. 
 
 1 Col. iv. 6. 
 
 " » Tim. ii. 24. 
 
 « 1 Th«ir.ii. 5. 
 
 R 
 
 our
 
 258 "T/j^jdrcUifiopofCAiiTER^vi^Y's 
 
 our Ccnverfation in Simplicity a7td godly Sin^ 
 cerity ", 
 
 Talking with great Earneftnefs about 
 Worldly Affairs^ or with great Delight about 
 Diverfions and Trifles, betrays a Mind over- 
 much fet upon them: and Numbers will 
 reprefent the Cafe, as \vorre than it is. 
 Nay, our being only in a very peculiar De* 
 gree good Judges of fuch Matters, or of 
 any that are unconneded with our Office, 
 ■will, uhlefs we have fome efpecial Call to 
 them, be commonly thought to imply, that 
 we have fludied and love them beyond what 
 We ought, to the Negledt of oUr proper 
 Bufinefs. For we are not to expedl very 
 favourable Conftrudions from Mankind: 
 yet it greatly imports us to have their good 
 Opinion J which we fhali not fecure, unlefs 
 in whatever other Lights they may fee us 
 Occafionally, the worthy Clergyman be the 
 predominant Part of our Characfter. If 
 practical Chriftian Piety and Benevolence 
 and Self Government, with conflant Zeal 
 to promote them all upon Earth, are not 
 the fifft and chief Qu^alities, which your 
 
 • 2 Cor, i, 12. 
 
 Parifhioners
 
 ^econd Charge fo bisCLT^RGv* i^g 
 
 Pariftiloners and Acquaintance will afcribe to 
 you; if they will fpenk of you, as noted on 
 other Accounts, but pafs over thefe Articles; 
 and when aiked about them, be at a Lofs 
 what to fay, excepting poffibly that they 
 know no Harm of you; all is not right: nor 
 can fuch a Clergy anfwer the Defign of its 
 Inflitution any where; or even maintain its 
 Ground in a Country of Freedom and Learn- 
 ing, though a yet worfe may in the Midft of 
 Slavery and Ignorance. 
 
 Adually fharing in the Gaieties and A- 
 mufements of the World will provoke Cen- 
 fure ftill more, than making them favourit* 
 Subjedls of Difcourfe. I do not fay, that 
 Recreations, lawful in themfelves, are un- 
 lawful to us: or that thofe which have been 
 formerly prohibited by ecclefiaftical Rules, 
 merely as difreputable, may not ceafe to be 
 fo by Change of Cuftom. But flill not all 
 things lawful are expedient p, and certainly 
 thefe Things, further than they are in Truth 
 requifite for Health of Body, Refrefliment 
 of Mind, or fome really valuable Purpofe, 
 are all a Mifemployment of our leifure 
 
 * 1 Cor. vi. ii, 
 
 K 2 Hours,
 
 * 26o I'be ArchlpiJJjop of Cahtekbvry^s 
 
 Hours, which we ought to fet our People a 
 
 Pattern of filling up well. A Minifter of 
 
 God's Word, atreniive to his Duty, will 
 
 neither have Leifure for fuch Diffipations, 
 
 public or domeftic, nor Liking to them. 
 
 He will fee, that Pleafure, or rather a 
 
 wretched AfFedlation of it, is become the 
 
 Idol of Mankind 3 to which they are facri- 
 
 ficing their Fortunes, their Families, their 
 
 Healths, their Reputations, their Regard to 
 
 God, to their fecial Duties, to the State of 
 
 .their Souls^ i^^- cheir future Being. Now 
 
 what are the Clergy to do in this Cafe ? If we 
 
 but feem to go along with them, who fhali 
 
 call them back ? For as to the Pretence of 
 
 keeping them within Bounds by our Prefencej 
 
 it is vifibly a mere Pretence. Or were it 
 
 not, the older and graver of us would fure- 
 
 ly think fuch a Superintendency no very 
 
 honourable one : and few of the younger 
 
 and livelier could be fafely trufted with it. 
 
 Indeed we none of us know, into what 
 
 Improprieties of Behaviour, at lead: what 
 
 Wrongnefs of DifpoHtion we may be drawn 
 
 by i\\tevilCommu?iicatio?is of thefe AiTemblies : 
 
 whether, if happily they (liould not otherwife 
 
 corrupt
 
 fccond Charge to h'is Clergy. 261 
 
 corrupt our good M(in?iers 'i, we may not how- 
 ever grow inwardly fond of them; come to 
 think our profeffion a dull one, and the Calls 
 of it troublefomci throw off" as much of 
 the Burthen as we can, and perform with 
 Reludance and cold Formality the Remain- 
 der, which we mull. 
 
 At leaft it will be fufpecfted, that we cannot 
 greatly difapprove the Cuftoms in which 
 we voluntarily join, the Perfons with whom 
 we familiarly afTociate, or indeed any Thing 
 faid or done where we delight to be: that 
 if we do not go the utmoll Lengths, yet 
 we fhould, if for Shame we durff: for 
 thefe Things are our Choice, not the Duties 
 of our Miniftry ; which therefore Declaimers 
 will fay we are not fincere in, or how- 
 ever unfit for. And even they, who plead 
 our Example as a Precedent for themfelves, 
 will ufually honour us much the lefs for 
 fctting it. 
 
 Still I do not mean, that we fliould be 
 four and morofej condemn innocent Relax- 
 ations, and provoke men to fay, that we rail 
 Qut of Envy at what we have abfurdly tied 
 
 ^i Cor. XV. 3^. 
 
 R 3 up
 
 262 The Archbifiop of Canterbury'^ 
 
 up ourfelves from partaking of: but expref^ 
 our Diflike of them as mildly as the Cafe 
 will bear; flight with good Humour the 
 Indulgences, in which others falfely place 
 their Happinefsj and convince them by 
 our Experience as v/ell as Reafoning, how 
 very comfortably they may live without 
 them. It is true, paying Court to the gay 
 and inconfiderate by Imitation of them, may 
 often be the fhorter, and fometimes thefurer 
 Way to their Favour^ But the Favour of 
 the fafliionable World is not our Aim : if 
 it be, we have chofen our Profeflion very 
 unwifely. And though we fliould fucceed 
 thus with fuch Perfons in Point of Intereft, 
 we rauft not hope even for their Efteem. 
 For they will both think and fpeak with the 
 lowed: Contempt of the complying Wretch, 
 whom yet for their own Convenience or 
 Humour they will carefs, and now and then 
 prefer. 
 
 Our PredecefTors, that their abilaining 
 from indifcreet Levities might be notorious, 
 wore conftantly the peculiar Habit of their 
 Order. And certainly we fhould be more 
 refpedted, if we follov^'ed their Example iq 
 
 this
 
 fecond Charge to bis Clj^^gw 263 
 
 this moreuniverfally. They complained of 
 no Inconveniencies from it: nor did I ever, 
 in a Courfe of many Years, find any worth 
 naming. In the primitive and perfccuting 
 Times indeed Clergymen wore no pecu- 
 liar Drefs: and long after were didin- 
 guidied only by retaining a greater Simplicity 
 of Garb than others. But gradually Superiors 
 difcerned Reafons for enjoying a different 
 5ort: and furely others may well pay them 
 fo far the Obedience promlfed to them, as 
 always to (hew by fome evident and proper 
 Marks, (for Nothing qiore is expeded) of 
 what Clafs of Men they are. If you do 
 not, it will be faid, either that you are 
 aihamed of your Caufe, or confcious of 
 your Unfkilfulnefs to defend it, or that you 
 conceal yourfelves to take occafionally unfit 
 Liberties. Indeed fome external Reftraints 
 of this Kind, merely as an Admonition 
 airainft unfeemly Difcourfe and Condudl and 
 Company, would, though not prefcribed, 
 be very advifeable for young Clergymen: 
 amongft whom they, who dilllke them the 
 n:koIt, might fometimes perceive, that they 
 Jiave the moft need of them. And we 
 
 R 4 thit
 
 264 ^he ArchhiJJoop ofCAiiT'ERBVRY's 
 
 that are older, ftiould keep up the Cuftom 
 for their Sakes, though unnecefTary for our 
 own. Befides, we may all prevent, by 
 fuch Notification of ourfelves, a great deal 
 of unbecoming Talk and Deportment in 
 others : and fo efcape both the Difagreeable- 
 nefs of reproving it, and the Impropriety 
 of not reproving it. Or, if after all it cannot 
 be prevented, they who are offended with 
 it, will immediately fee in us a Refufe from 
 it. 
 
 But then a Habit, vifibly a Clergyman's, 
 muft be fuch in every Part as befits a 
 Clergyn'ian : have no Look of Efi^eminacy 
 or Love of Finery in it^ For we had 
 better put on the Lay Drefs intirely, than 
 difgrace the Clerical one. And it is doubly 
 contemptible, firft to fhew what a Fondnefs 
 we have for Things utterly beneath us, and 
 then how poorly we are able to indulge it. 
 Therefore let us be uniform : and as our 
 Charadler is a truly venerable one, let us 
 think we do ourfelves Honour by wearing the 
 ancient Badges of it. I need not add, that 
 our whole Demeanour fhouldbeanfwerable to 
 
 * Uiercn. aJNepotian, §. 9. 
 
 our
 
 fecond Charge to hh Clergy. 265 
 
 our Cloathing : that Softnefs and Delicacy of 
 Manner, Skill in the Science ot Eatinfy', and 
 the Perfedion ot Liquors, in fliort every Ap- 
 proach to luxurious Gratification, is ftrangely 
 out of Place in one, who hath devoted hini- 
 fiblf to endure Hardnefs as a good Soldier of 
 Jefus Chri/l \ 
 
 Still we ought to judge very charitably of 
 thole, who take greater Liberties, than we 
 dare: never blame them more, feldom fo 
 much as they defervej and confine our 
 Severity to our own Pracftice. Only we 
 mufl watch with moderate Stridnefs over 
 our Families alio: not only keeping up the 
 joint feparate Worlhip of God in them, 
 which I hope no Clergyman omits, but 
 forming them to every part of Piety and 
 Virtue and Prudence. St. Paul requires, 
 that not only Deacons^ but their Wives be 
 grave"" : and that the higher Clergy be fuch, 
 as rule well their oicn Hou/es, having their 
 Children in SubjeBion with all Gravity: for 
 if a Man know not how to ride his own 
 Hcufe, how Jhall he take Care of the Church 
 
 • Hieron. ad Nepotian. §.6. '2 Tim, ii. 3. • I Tiili, 
 
 Ui. 9. u.
 
 i66 7hc ^'cbl>/fiop of Canterbury's 
 
 of God'''' ^^ Whence we have all promifed at 
 QVjr Ordination, to Jrame and fajhion our 
 FafmlieSj together with ourielves, accor£?ig ta 
 th^ JOo^rine of Chrifty and to make them^ as 
 mu^b as in us lietht wholefome Examples and 
 P^iUKNs to his Flock, They are naturally the 
 firfl Objeds of our Care : we have peculiar 
 Opportunities of inilruding and reftraining 
 tjic^n^. If we negkdt them, we fhall never 
 be ihought to have much Concern for 
 Oi^hers; if vve are unfuccefsful with them, 
 ^ei rhaii be deemed very unfkilful j and bid 
 iti J^k at Home before we reprove the refl 
 of our Flock. But exhibiting Inftances of 
 QoDdnefs and Happinefs, produced under our 
 own Roofs by the Methods, to which we di- 
 rect thofe around us, muft needs add fingular 
 "VV'tight to our Exhortations. 
 
 For the Importance of the Rules hitherto 
 1^ down, we have the Judgment of a moft 
 ahk and fuhile and determined enemy, the 
 l^v^p^soT Julian: whodefigningtore-eftabliih 
 Pagvini(m, and accounting, as he declares, the 
 Stridntfs and Sandity, profeiitd by Chrif- 
 tiJ^ns, to be a principal Caufe of the Prevalence 
 
 ^ I Tim. V.4, 5. 
 
 of 
 
 d
 
 Jccond Charge to his Cl'^^.gy. 267 
 
 ©f their Fa'uh, in two of his Epiftles gives 
 Diredlions, undoubtedly copied trom the In- 
 junctions obfcrved by die Clergy of thole Days, 
 that the He«then Priefts be Men of ferious 
 Tempers and Deportment ; that they neither 
 utter, nor hear, nor read, nor think of any 
 Thing licentious or indecent; that they ba- 
 nifli-far from them all oiTenfjve Jefts and 
 libertine Converfation: be neither expenfive 
 nor (hewi(h in their Apparel ; go to no En- 
 tertainments but fuph as are made by the 
 worthieft Perfonsj frequent no Taverns: 
 appear but feldom in Places of Concourfe ; 
 never be feen at the public Games and 
 Spectacles; and take Care that their Wives 
 and Children and Servants be pious, as well 
 as themfelves^. Let not, I entreat you, thi§ 
 Apoftate put us to Shame, 
 
 But Clergymen, u^ho are ferious in their 
 wholp Behaviour, and the Care of their Fa- 
 milies alfo, are often too unadive amongft 
 their People: apt to think, that if they 
 perform regularly the ordinary OfHces of 
 ;hc Church, exhort from the Pulpit fuc'h 
 
 * Ep. 49. ad ^i^■fac. P. 430, 431. Fragm. Ep. p. 
 ^01—305. 
 
 4 as
 
 268 The Archbifiop c/'C ante reury'j 
 
 as will come to hear them, and anfwer the 
 common occafional Calls of parochial Duty 
 they have done as much as they need or 
 well can, and fo turn themfelves to other 
 Matters : perhaps never vifit fome of their 
 Parifhioners ; and with the reft enter only 
 into the fame Sort of Talk, that any one 
 elfe would do. Now St. Paul faith he 
 taught the Ephefians both publicly arid from 
 Houfe to Houfe, tejlifying Repentance toward 
 God, and Faith toward our Lordjefus Chriji ^ ^ 
 and ceafed not to warn every one Day and 
 Night ^. He alfo commands Timothy to 
 preach the Word, and be injiant in Seafon and 
 out of Seafon* 'y at ftated Times and others; 
 not forcing Advice upon Perfjns, when it 
 was likelier to do Harm than good : but 
 prudently improving lefs favourable Oppor- 
 tunities, if no others offered. Thus unquef- 
 tionably fliould we do. And a chief Rea- 
 fon, why we have fo little Hold upon our 
 People is, that we converfe with them fo 
 little, as Watchmen over their Souls. The 
 Paftors of the foreign Proteftants out do us 
 pteatly in this Refpe^t, and are honoured in 
 
 y A^s XX. 20, 2 1. »Ver. 31. 'sTim. iv, 2. 
 
 Proportion,
 
 third Charge fo his Clergy. 269 
 
 Proportion. The Romifli Priefts have their 
 Laity under their Hands, on one Account or 
 another, almofl continually, and acquire by it 
 an ahfolutc Dominion over them. Both the 
 old DilTenters from our Church, and thofc 
 who are now forming new Separations, gain 
 and preferve a furprifing Influence amongft 
 their Followers by perfonal religious Inter- 
 courfe. Why fhould not we learn from them ? 
 At firft fuch Applications may by Difufe ap- 
 pear ftrange ; and have both their Difficulties 
 and thei: Dangers. But the moft apprehen- 
 five of them will be the fafeft from themj and 
 all will improve their Talents by Prac- 
 tice. On young Perlbns you will be able 
 to make good Imprefiions by Difcourfe with 
 them before Cinfivrr.ztion -, thefe may be 
 renewed in private exhortations afterwards 
 to receive the Sicrament : and the fpiritual 
 Acquaintance, thus begun, may be continued 
 ever alter. Other Means mav be found with 
 grown Perfons : on the firil fettling of a Fa- 
 mily in your Pariih ; on Occafion of any 
 great Sicknefs, or AfHiftion, or Mercy -, on 
 many others, if you feek for them, and en- 
 gage worthy Friends to afiiH: you. Even 
 
 common
 
 tyo Tbe /^rMi/Ix>p of Canterbury's 
 
 common Converfation may be led very na- 
 tural to Points of Piety and Morals ; and 
 Numbers be induced thus to reading proper 
 Books, to public, to private, to Family De- 
 votion, to Sobriety, Juftice, Alms-giving 
 and Chriftian Love, When once you are 
 \vell got into the Method^ you will proceed 
 with Eafe and Applaufe; provided your 
 whole Charader and Conduift be conliftenti 
 elfe you will fall into total Difgrace j and 
 ^particularly provided you convince your Pa- 
 rifliionersj that you fee^^ not theirs^ but 
 'them ^. 
 
 A due Meafure of Difintereftednefs is one 
 main Requifite for the fuccefs of a Clergy- 
 man's Labours. You will therefore avoid 
 all mean Attention to fmall Matters : never 
 be rigorous in your Demands of them j never 
 engage in any Difputes about them, unleil 
 a Part of your Income, too large to be given 
 up, depends upon them. In all Difputes 
 you will prefer difcreet References to Pro- 
 ceedings at Law: and when the latter be- 
 'come necefTary, carry them on in the faired, 
 the leafl expenfive, the friendlieft Manner* 
 
 ^ 2 Cor, xii. 14, 
 
 You
 
 fecond Charge to hh Clergv. i^l 
 
 You will be very tender in your Demand* 
 upon the poor, and very equitable toW'fe^d^ 
 the rich j though you will eonfcierttb^irt]^ 
 preferve all the material Rights, with Whiich 
 you are intruded, for your Succeffjrs, If 
 you find Room and Reafon to improve youf 
 Income, you v*^ill ^o it within Boundis'i attd 
 prove, that no wrong Motive inducers you 
 to it, by living with decent Frugality, pi^^ 
 viding for your Families with ModefAti6n> 
 and going as far as ever you are able in i\^3 
 of good-natured, ahd efpecially of piou^, li- 
 berality; which are the moft valaac^e Tfl 
 themfelves, the moft incumbent on yoii-, ahd 
 the mofl overlooked by others. For Nothi'rVg- 
 gives greater or jufter Offence, than to fefe a 
 Clergyman intent upoh hoarding, or lux^t^^ 
 ous, or fplentlid, indead of being charitable* 
 Few indeed of our Order have much to 
 fpare : and many have Caufc to wifli f^r k 
 more plentiful Subfiftence. Yet even th^fby 
 and much more the better preferred, if th^^ 
 are earneft feekers and impottiirtite Sdli'^U 
 tors for Promotion, lower their Charag^a-i 
 grievoufly: and fuch as ufe indircd M^and 
 to obtain it, are often providentially difap- 
 
 pointed;
 
 272 Hke Archhifljop of Canterbury'/ 
 
 pointed ; or though they fucceed, always 
 diflionour themlclves, and never do much 
 Good to othrrs : whereas the loweft of their 
 Brethren will be jullly refpeded, and may 
 be highly ufeful, if he fubmiLS cr;ntentedly 
 to God's good Providence, and labours to 
 live within the Compafs of his Income : ex- 
 ceeding which, without vifible Neceffity, 
 will bring fome Imputations even upon him, 
 and defervedly a much heavier on fuch as 
 enjoy an ampler Provifion. 
 
 However inoffenfive we are, we muft 
 expedl to receive, from Time to Time, in- 
 jurious and provoking Treatment, as the 
 Scripture hath forewarned us. We ihall hurt 
 both our own Caufe and that of Religion 
 dreadfully, if we return it : and do Honour 
 to both, if we behave under it calmly, with 
 fuch Meebiefs of Wifdom % as may tend to 
 bring our Adverfaries over, if not to our Sen- 
 timents concerning the Matter in Queftion, 
 whatever it be, yet to a good Opinion of our 
 Meaning and Temper ; or may at icaft, if 
 we fail of Succefs with them, engage more 
 impartial Perfons to countenance and protedl 
 
 *^ James iii. 13. 
 
 U5,
 
 fecond Charge to his Clergy. 27^ 
 
 lis. Indeed we ought, if poflible, to keep 
 not only ourfelves, but others, o it of all 
 angry Contefts. We folcmnly promifed at 
 our Ordination, to maintain and jet for- 
 'wards, as ?nuch as lieth in iis^ ^ietnefs. 
 Peace and Love among all Chrijiian People, 
 and efpecially among them that are or JIM 
 be committed to our Charge: and by fo doing, 
 we are bound never to raife or foment per- 
 fonal, family, parochial, political, or eccle- 
 iiaftical Animoiities, but do all in our Power 
 to compofe and extinguifh them: nor will 
 any Thing conduce more to our Credit or 
 to our Ufefulnefs. The political Party-Spirit 
 is, God be thanked, of late Years much 
 abated. Let us guard againO: the Return of 
 it: fhew, in Word and Deed, becoming 
 Refpedl, as we have great Caufe, to our 
 excellent King, and all who are put in 
 Authority under him: not exercife oiirfehes 
 in Matters too high for us^^ but be quiet and 
 do our own Bufmefs^-y let our Moderation, 
 even where we are concerned to] meddle, be 
 known unto all Men^ ; exercifing it even to 
 
 •* Pfal. cxxxi. 2. "^ 1 Their, iv. ii. <" Phil. xv. 4. 
 
 S thofc
 
 2/4 ^^'^^ Arcbhijhp cf Cahterbvry's 
 
 tbofe who have leaft of it; and always 
 remember, that neither Patriot Love to our 
 earthly Country, nor loyal Attachment to 
 our earthly Sovereign, will be accepted by 
 our heavenly Father, without uniform Obe- 
 dience to the Whole of his Gofpel. 
 
 Another Point of great Importance to 
 Clergymen is, that they be fludious. This 
 will keep your Money from being fpent un- 
 
 wifelyi and likewife your Time from being 
 thrown away hurtfully or unprofitably, or 
 hanging heavy on your Hands. It will 
 procure you Reverence too, as Perfons of 
 Knowledge: whereas the idle will, even by 
 the ignorant, be thought deiicient. And 
 which is the main Thing, this alone will 
 enable you to underfland the Bufinefs of 
 your Station, and perform it well. But 
 then you muH; apply to fuch Things chiefly, 
 as will fit you molf to anfwer the great End 
 of your Employment; 2ind ^etermwe whhSt. 
 Paul to know Nothing, comparatively fpeak- 
 ing among ft your People, fuve Chrift Jeftis 
 and him crucified'^. The Concern of a Pa- 
 ri(h Miniller is, to make the loweft of his 
 
 e r Cor. ii. 2. 
 
 Congregation
 
 ftcond Charge to his Clergy. 27^ 
 
 Congregation apprehend the Dodrlne of 
 Salvation by Repentance, Faith and Obe- 
 dience; and to labour, that when they 
 know the Way of Life, they may walk in 
 it. If he doth not thefe Things for them, 
 he doth Nothing : and it requires much Con- 
 iideration to find out the proper Methods of 
 doing them, and much Pains and Patience 
 to try one after another. Smooth Difcourfcs, 
 compofed partly in fine Words which they 
 do not underftand, partly in flowing Sen- 
 tences which they cannot ^llow to the 
 End; containing: little that awakens their 
 drowfy Attention, little that inforces on 
 them plainly and home what they muO; do 
 to be faved; leave them as ignorant and un- 
 reformtd as ever, and only lull them into a 
 fatal Security. Therefore bring yourfclves 
 down to their Level j for what fuits the 
 meaneft Chriftian will fuit the higheft: ex- 
 amine if they take in what you fay, and 
 change the Form of it till they do. This 
 I recommend for your firfl: Study : and be 
 alTured, you will improve yourfelves by it 
 no lefs than your Hearers. But fo far as 
 you have Opportunity confiftently with thi?, 
 
 S 2 ^pply
 
 276 'The /Ir c hi) ifiop of Cant -erbvky's 
 
 apply to any Part of Science, to every Part 
 you can, that is conneded with your Pro- 
 fefiion : only learn, by weighing carefully 
 the Judgments and Reafonings of others, 
 tp think mcdedly of yourfelves: avoid, in 
 the Outfet of your Inquiries more efpecially, 
 drawing hafty Conclufions : be at leaft as 
 much on your Guard againft Fondnefs of 
 new Opinions, as PrepofTeffion for efta- 
 bliflied Doctrines : and beware of being 
 milled, either by the Pofitivenefs of vehe- 
 ment Writers, or the falfe Colours of art- 
 ful ones. 
 
 You will doubtlefsculdvate peculiarly thofe 
 Branches of Knowledge, which the Circum- 
 ftances of the Times, or of your Parifhes, 
 peculiarly point out to you. God hath per- 
 mitted to us, for our Sins, to be attacked^ 
 in a remarkable Degree, by Infidels on one 
 Hand, and by Maintainers of innumerable 
 ftrange Notic3ns on the other. And we 
 have Need, that every one, who is able to 
 qualify himfelf well, ihouldaffift in defend- 
 ing his Part of the common Caufe. For 
 there are too many unanfwered Books abroad 
 in the World, and more appearing daily, 
 
 written
 
 fccond Charge to bis Clergy. 277 
 
 written agalnft Chriftianity and Morals and 
 the Dodrines of our Church. Nor have we 
 of the Clergy, for fome Time pift, borne fo 
 large a Share, comparatively with Perfons of 
 other Communions, in vindicating what we 
 teach, as might be expeded from us. I 
 hope you are not often obliged, in this 
 Diocefe, to encounter Unbelievers from the 
 Pulpit: and you will certainly not chufe to 
 alarm your People, by refuting, in Form, 
 Objedions to which they are Strangers j 
 though it may be ufeful to obviate them 
 briefly, and if pofTible without naming them. 
 But as, probably enough, fome of you will 
 at one Time or another in Company meet 
 with fuch Perfons, or hear of their Talk, I 
 would give you a few Diredions in Relation 
 to them. 
 
 If any of them are virtuous in their Con^ 
 dud, and backward to offend in Difcourfe, 
 they (hould not be unfeafonably provoked, 
 but treated with Ref|3cd. If anv of them 
 build their Unbelief on fcrious Argument, 
 which plainly very few do, they fhould be 
 direded to the Books, or the learned Men, 
 that are bed fitted to anfwer them: and the 
 
 S 3 Ufs
 
 278 77;c Archhijlop (5/"CanteRbuRy'^ 
 
 lefs able fhould prepare for Combat with 
 them, but not engage too far in it prema- 
 turely. If they cannot at prefent be con- 
 vinced of the Falfehood of their Tenets, 
 they fhould be (hewn however, in a gentle 
 Manner, the pernicious EfFeds of promulg- 
 ing them. But if they will obftinately per- 
 fifl to facrifice every Thing valuable amongft 
 Men to their own Vices, or their own 
 Vanity, we mufl openly withiland them, 
 and warn others againft them. Yet even this 
 ought to be done without Paflion or Eitter- 
 nefs, otberwife all the Blame will be laid on 
 us : efpecially without perlonal Incivilities, 
 ' even to the worfl: of them, elfe they will 
 become ftill worfe than they were. But then 
 we mud never afhft the very beft of them in 
 gaining Influence and growing dangeroue -, 
 nor bring our ow^n Sincerity into Queftioa 
 by Intimacies v/ith them, which they vv^ill 
 nfualiy reprefent, and fometimss believe, to 
 proceed from our inwardly thinking as they 
 do. Much Icfs fliould we ever condefcend to 
 the fliocking Meannefs of paying Court for 
 private Ends, either to them, or to wicked 
 Vl^retches of any Kind, though not Infidels ; 
 
 but
 
 fecond Charge fo lis Clergy s 279 
 
 but conne6l ourfelves with worthy Pcrfons ; 
 engage their Support, and excite their En- 
 deavours to repreis Profanenefs and Immora- 
 lity. 
 
 It is peculiarly unhappy, that while we 
 are employed on one Side in defending the 
 Gofpel, we are accufed on another of cor- 
 rupting it. I have net now in my View 
 either the Church of Rome ^ or the Proteftants 
 who broke off from us a Century ago. The 
 Methods of dealing with both have been long 
 fince prefcribed, and I repeat them not; but 
 intreat vour Attention to the Movements of 
 each, efpecially the former, if you have any 
 of them in your Parilhes. Btat I mean to 
 fpeak of Perfons rifen up in our own Times, 
 and profeffing the ftrideft Piety: who vehe- 
 mently charge us with departing from the 
 Dovflrines and flightins: the Precepts of our 
 Religion: but have indeed tliemklves ad- 
 vanced unjiiftitiablc Notions, as neceflary 
 Truths j giving good People groundlefs Fears, 
 and bad ones giouiuilcfs Hopes ; difturbed 
 the Underftandlngs of fome, impaired the 
 Circumrtances of others ; prejudiced Multi- 
 tudes againft their proper Miniltcrs, a-jd 
 
 S 4 prevented
 
 28 o ^he Archhifiop p/" C a N T e Ii b UR y 'i 
 
 prevented their Edification by them 3 pro- 
 duced firfl: Diforders in our Churches, then 
 partial or total Sepaartions from them ; and 
 fet up unauthorized Teachers in their Af- 
 femblies. V/here thefe Irregularities will 
 end, God only knows : but it behoves us to 
 be very careful, that they make no Progrefs 
 through our Fault. 
 
 Now it would not only be injurious, but 
 profane, to brand, with an opprobrious 
 Name, Chrlftians remarkably ferious, merely 
 for being fuch: and equally imprudent to 
 difclaim them as not belonging to us, to let 
 a Scdl gain the Credit of them, and labour 
 to drive them into it. Surely we £hould 
 take, even were they wavering, or acftually 
 gone from us, the mod refpedful and per- 
 fuafive Means of recalling fuch, and fixing 
 them with us. Nay, fuppofing any Perfons 
 irrecoverably gone, we fliould not be hafly 
 to condemn, even in our Thoughts, either 
 them or their Party, as Enthufiafts cr Hy- 
 pocrites: whatfcever they are, it makefb no 
 Matter to in^. And much Icfs ought we 
 to fay of either worfe than we are fure they 
 
 hpal. ii, 6. 
 
 deferve.
 
 fecond Charge fo Lis Clergy. 28c 
 
 deferve. When we are undoubtedly well 
 informed of any extravagant Things, which 
 they have alTerted or done, it may be ufeful 
 to fpeak ftrongly of them : but not v/ith 
 Anger and Exaggeration j which will oniy 
 give them a Handle to cenfure our Uncha- 
 ritablenefs, and confute us : but with deep 
 Concern, that when (a few Perfons exprefs 
 any Zeal for the Gofncl, fo many of thofe, 
 who do, run into Extremes, that hurt its 
 Interefts. Nor will Ridicule become our 
 Characfter, or ferve our Caufe better than 
 Invedlive. It may plcafe thofe very highly, 
 who are in no Danger of being profeiyted 
 by them. But what fliall we get by that? 
 Perfons negligent of Religion will at the fame 
 Time be confirmed in their Negligence ; 
 and 'think, that all they need to avoid is 
 being righteous overmuch^ Tender Minds 
 will be grieved and wounded by fuch ill- 
 placed Levity : and crafty Declaimers will 
 rail at us with Sr.cccfs, as Scoffers^, denying 
 the Power cjGodlinefs^. But if we let fall 
 any light Expreflijns, that can be wrefted 
 jnto a feeming Difrefpecl of any Scripture 
 
 ♦ Eccl. vii. 16. *^ 2 Pet. iii. 3. * 3 Tim. ii. i 5. 
 
 Dodrine
 
 282 The ArchbiJJjop c/CANTERBuRY'i 
 
 Doflrine or Phrafe, we iliall give our Ad- 
 verfarles unfpeakable Advantages : and they 
 have (hewn, that they will ufe them with- 
 out Mercy or Equity. Therefore we muft 
 guard every V/ord, that we utter, againfl: 
 Mifreprefentations : be fure to exprefs, in 
 public and private, our firm Belief of what- 
 ever evangelical Truths border upon their 
 Miftakes : and certainly be as vigilant over 
 our Behaviour, as our Teaching; encourage 
 no Violence, no Rudenefs towards them ; 
 but recommend ourfelves to them by our 
 Mildnefs, our Serioufnefs, cur Diligence: 
 honour thofe, who are truly devout and 
 virtuous amongft them, much more on that 
 Account, than we blame them for bting 
 injudicious, and hard to pleafe; and be full 
 as ready to acknowledge the Good they have 
 done, as to complain of the Harm : yet 
 beware, and counlel others to beware, of 
 being dr.iwn, by Eiteem of their Piety, into 
 reliihir,g their Singularities, and patronizing 
 their Schifm. 
 
 A(fling thus, we {hall not only cut off 
 Occafim from thofe iioho defire Occajton "" to 
 
 "> 2 Cor. xi. I J, 
 
 fpeak;
 
 fccond Charge to /jis Cle^qy. 283 
 
 fpeak Evil of us, and be able to remon- 
 ftrate with Authority and Effeft againft: 
 their ExcefTes and Wildnefles ; but, which 
 is the chief Point, we {hall become better 
 Miniilers of Chrlft for their harfh TiCat- 
 ment of uh;. And we fliould always labour, 
 that every Thing may have this Influence 
 upon us : think witii OLirlclve?, if others 
 go too fbir, whether we do not fall fhort ; 
 aik our Confcicnces, whether we really do 
 all that is in our Power to reforai and 
 improve our People; whether the fmall 
 Succefs of our Endeavours be, in Truth, as it 
 ought, a heavy Grief to us; whether we 
 have carefully fearched out, and try incef- 
 fantly to overcome the Diificukies that lie ia 
 our Way to making them better. Thefc 
 Things, if we are in earned, we (hall chiefly 
 have at Heart: and if we are not in earneft, 
 ive are of all Men the moft guilty, and the tiiojl 
 7mferahle^. 
 
 In giving you my Advice thus largely and 
 freely on thcfc feveral Heads, 1 no more 
 fuppofe you culpable in Relation to any of 
 them, than you do your Parifliioners, when 
 
 " I Cor, XV'. 19. 
 
 you
 
 2 84 The Ahp, of Can te r b u r y *i Charge. &c. 
 
 you exhort them to any particular Duties, 
 or warn them againft particular Sins. On 
 the contrary, to ufe the Apoftle's Words, I 
 am perfuaded of you, Brethreji^ that ye are full 
 cf Goodnefs, repknified with all Knowledge, 
 able alfo to admoniJJj one another. Neverthe^ 
 lefsy if I may preiume to adopt, with due 
 Abatements, the fubfequent Words alfo, / 
 have i^dktufomewhat boldly unto you in Party 
 as putting you in Mind, hecaufe of the Grace 
 which is given you oj God^ that 1 jloould be tloe 
 Minifer of Jeftis Chriji to you", as you are 
 to your refpedllve Congregations. And let 
 us all pray for ourfelves and each other daily, 
 that we may fo feed the Flock of God which 
 is among us, and be 'Enfamples to it, that 
 when the chief Shepherd fiall appear^ we may 
 receive a Crown of Glory, that fadeth not 
 {iway^. 
 
 » Rom. XV. 14, 15, 16. f 1 Pet. v. 2, 3, 4, 
 
 A CHARGE
 
 A 
 
 CHARGE 
 
 DELIVERED TO THE 
 
 CLERGY of the Diocese 
 
 OF 
 
 CANTERBURY, 
 
 In the Y E A R i ^66,
 
 I.
 
 Reverend Brethren, 
 
 HAVING diftributed amongft you, 
 above three Years ago, when Sicknefs 
 prevented me from vifiting you in Perfon, a 
 printed Difcourfe, in which I exhorted you, 
 as St. Paul did Timothy^ to take Heed unto 
 your/elves J I proceed now to add, as he did, 
 and to your Dodirine^. 
 
 To inftrudl Perfons in Religion is the 
 leading Part of a Clergyman's Duty. And 
 though he will do \t i:; a very ufeful Degree 
 by the Example of a Chriftian Behaviour on 
 all Occafions ; yet he will do it more efpe- 
 cially in the particular Difcharge of his Office. 
 When he is only to ufe the Forms prefcribed 
 him, he may, by ufing them with due Re- 
 verence and Propriety, greatly promote both 
 Knowledge and pious Difpofitions in his 
 
 " iTim.iv. 16. 
 
 Hearers.
 
 238 The Archh'ijljop o/'CanterburvV 
 
 Plearers. Therefore we ought to watch di- 
 ligently over ourfel^es in this Refpedl : and 
 then it will be eaficr to convince our People, 
 that they may and fliould learn a great deal 
 from the Exhortations, the Prayers, the 
 Praifes, the Portions of Scripture^ cf which 
 cur Liturgy coniifts ; that therefore, even 
 when there is no other Service, they fhould 
 corns to Church for the Sake of thefe far 
 mere conftantly, and attend to them far 
 more carefully, than the Generality of them 
 do ; indeed fhould have them in much higher 
 Efteem, than the mere Produds of our pri- 
 vate Tiioughts. 
 
 But I fliall confine myfelf to the Inflruc- 
 tions, which you give of your own -, fpeak- 
 ing of them chiefly v/i'ch a View of fug- 
 gefting fuch Advice to the younger Part of 
 you, as I hops the elder will approve, and 
 enforce. 
 
 And here I muft begin with repeating, 
 what I need not enlarge upon, for I have 
 done it already, that the Foundation of every 
 Thing in our Profeffion is true Piety within 
 our Breaftr, prompting us to excite it in 
 others. Even Heathens made it a Rule, 
 1 that
 
 third Charge to his Clergy, 2^9 
 
 that an 0:ator, If lie would perfuade, muft 
 be a good Man : muJi more muA a Preacher. 
 When a bad one utters divine Truths, we 
 fliut our Ears, we feel Ind'gnation, From 
 yourf^lves therefore througaly, by devout 
 Meditations and fervent Prayer, to Seri- 
 oufnefs of Heart, and Ze d for the eternal 
 Welfare of Souls : for then every Thing 
 elfe, that you are to do, will follow of 
 Courfe. 
 
 You will earneftly labour to complete 
 yourfelves in all proper Knowledge : not 
 merely the introdudory Kinds, which un- 
 happily are often ahnofl: the only ones, 
 taught the Candidates for holy Orders j but 
 thofe chiefly, which have a clofer Conned^ion 
 with your Work. And tliough, amongO: 
 thefe, the Science of Mor:ils and natural 
 P.eligion is highly to be valued, yet the 
 Doclrines and Precepts of the Gofpel re- 
 quire your principal Regard b-ryond nil Ccm- 
 parifont It is of the Gofpel, that you are 
 Minifters: all other Learning will leave you 
 efTentially unqualified 3 and this alone com- 
 prehends every Thing, that is necelTary. 
 \Vithout itj you will ntwc'c approve yourfaves 
 
 T to
 
 290 T/jC j^rMiJhop of CAliTERBTJRY*S 
 
 to Gody as Workmen that need not io he 
 {ifiamed^, nor make your Hearers mfe unto 
 Salvation^ Therefore you muft diligently 
 perufe the holy Scriptures, and as much as 
 you can of them in the Original j that, as 
 the Office of Ordination exprefles it, by daily 
 rcadwg and weighing of them ye may wax riper 
 and flronger in your Mijii/iry, And you mufl: 
 not grudge the Expence, which may furely 
 be well fpared in fome other Things, of 
 procuring, according to your Abilities, the 
 AiTiftance, both of fuch Commentators, as 
 will beft {hew you the true Senfe of holy 
 Writ ; and of fuch alfo, as will beft diredl 
 you, how to draw from it needful Inftruc- 
 tions. General Syftems of Theology, and 
 particular Treatifes on Points of Moment, 
 will enlarge your Stock of Matter : and the 
 moft noted Sermons will be Patterns to you 
 of Ccmpolition. 
 
 For I fuppofe the Difcourfes, even of 
 thofe who have the loweft Qualifications, to 
 be, in a great Meafure at leaft, of their own 
 Compofition. Elfe they will feldom either 
 fufficiently fuit the Congregation to which 
 
 ''2Tim.ii.15. «= 2 Tim. iii. 15. 
 
 they
 
 third CImrge io bis Cl'^.'^gy, 291 
 
 they are delivered, or be delivered in the 
 Manner which they ought. Befides, if 
 Perfons decline taking this Trouble, they 
 will probably alfo decline that of fitting 
 themfelves in other Ways for parochial Ule- 
 fulnefs, and throw away their Time unwifely, 
 if not worfe. That will foon be obferved to 
 their Dlfadvantage; and if once it be fuf- 
 peded, that through Incapacity or Idlenefs 
 they fteal what they preach, they will have 
 fmall Influence, if any. I do not mean, that 
 no Ufe ought to be made of the Labours of 
 o'lhers : for indeed I have made no little Ufe 
 of them in what I am faying, and about to 
 fay. I would have young Clergymen, efpe- 
 cially, make very great Ufe of the Works of 
 able Divines: not inconfiderately andfcrvilely 
 tranfcribe them ; but ftudy, digeft, contrail, 
 amplify, vary, adapt to their Purpofe, im- 
 prove, if polTible, what they find in them. 
 For thus it will fairly become their own j 
 mix naturally with what proceeds altoge- 
 ther from themfelves ; and prcfcrve their 
 youthful Produdions from the Imputation of 
 being empty and jejune. In the Choice of 
 fuch Authors you will confult religious and 
 
 T 2 judicious
 
 292 'the Anhbifiop of Canterbury'^ 
 
 ludlclous Friends, always joining your own 
 Experience. Thofe Writers, whom you find 
 the moft efFedual to enlighten your Under- 
 ftandings, convince you of your Faults, ani- 
 mate you to good Refolutions, and guide and 
 fupport you in the Execution of them, will 
 beft help you to produce the fame Effect on 
 others. Thefe therefore imitate : but with 
 Judgement. If, amidfl: their Excellencies, 
 youobferve Miftakes, Defeds, Redundancies, 
 Flights indifcreetly high, defpicably familiar 
 Condefcenfions, Sallies over-vehement 5 be-r 
 ware of adopting any of them. And re- 
 member too that a very clofs Imitation, of 
 Singularities above all, will both betray you, 
 and be difguftful. 
 
 When you go about to prepare an In- 
 flrudtion for your People, firft confider 
 carefully of a proper Subject and Text : 
 begging God to direct your Choice, and 
 difpofe you to treat them in a proper Way. 
 Chufing a Text, without Need, that will 
 furprife, or feemingly a barren one, to fhew 
 what vour Art can extract from it, will 
 appear ingenious perhaps to fome, but 
 Vanity to mofi: with good Reafon. Chufing 
 
 on
 
 third Charge to his Cl-e'P.G^, 293 
 
 one, that requires much accommodating to 
 your Purpofe, is but mifpcnding Pains and 
 Time: and fo is labouring to clear up a very 
 obfcure one, unlefs it be of great Import- 
 ance. And giving a new Tranflation or 
 Senfe of a Text, unlefs the prefent hath 
 confiderable Inconvenienclee, will only puzzle 
 your Audience, and tempt them to doubt, 
 whether they underftand the reft of their 
 Bible. Such a Text is moft convenient, as 
 will branch out of itfclf into the main 
 Parts of your Difcourfe : but at leaft you 
 Ihoujd make it appear to be the Ground- 
 work of your Difcourfe, and not an After- 
 thought. 
 
 Plan your Method in the Beginning of 
 your Compofition : but change it afterwards, 
 if you fee Caufe. Never run the Matter of 
 one Head into another, nor digrefs to any 
 Thing foreign : for every Subjed well con- 
 fidered, will afford you enough. It is ufually 
 bed: to propofe your general Heads together, 
 before you proceed upon them feparately, 
 and to give Notice when you come to each. 
 Subdivifions alfo aflift the Memory of the 
 Hearer, if they are not too many : and 
 
 T 3 pafung
 
 294 ^^^ ArchbiJI.op 0/ Canterbury'^ 
 
 pafllng from a former Head to the next by 
 an eafy Tranfition, is graceful. But a Dif- 
 pofitlon may be very orderly, without men- 
 tionino; in Form the feveral Members, of 
 which it confifts : and fometimes that For- 
 mality prevents a Difcourfe from flowing 
 with Freedom and Spirit. After the expla- 
 natory Part, Proofs from Reafon and Scrip- 
 ture take the next Place ; then Inferences, 
 if any ufeful ones follow peculiarly from 
 v^hat hath preceded : and laflly Exhortations 
 to fuitable Pradice, which can hardly ever 
 be omitted, and ought to be fuch as may 
 leave a durable Impreffion. The Length of 
 Sermons, though it fhould always be mo- 
 derate, may be very different at different 
 Times. Only give no Room to think, that 
 in a fhort one have you faid but little ; or 
 in a long one have either faid any Thing 
 which was not pertinent, or dwelt upon any 
 Thing beyond what was needful. 
 
 An indifpenfable Point throughout is to 
 preferve Attention : for if that be not paid, 
 all your Labour is loft. And Perfons are 
 Angularly apt to be inattentive to Preachers. 
 Our Subjeds are^ and ought to be, the moft 
 
 common
 
 third Charge to his Clev^gy, 295 
 
 common and trite of any. And hence, un- 
 kfs we ufe a little honeit Art to prevent it, 
 our People will think, will many of them 
 find indeed, that they know beforehand 
 moft of what we (hall deliver to them, and 
 fo will foon grow weary of minding us. 
 Coming to Church, the Bulk of Mankind, 
 even flil], confuler as a Duty: but hearing 
 as they ought, they partly negled', and partly 
 experience to be difficult. Therefore we 
 muft not only admonilli, but aflifl: them. 
 For this End we muft lliew them from firft 
 to laft, that we are not merely laying good 
 Things in their Pretence, butdiredting what 
 we fay to them perfonally, as a Matter which 
 concerns them beyond Expreflion. More 
 general Difcourfes they often want Skill to 
 take Home to themfelvcs ; and oftener yet 
 Inclination : fo they fit all the while flupidly 
 regardlefs of what is delivered. Therefore 
 we muft intereft them in ir, by calling upon 
 them to obferve, by ailving them Queftions to 
 anfwer filently in their own Minds, by every 
 prudent Incitement to follow us clolely. But 
 then we muft make them underiland, that in 
 preaching againfl: Sin we never preach againft 
 
 T 4 fuch
 
 2 9 6 ^^'^ Archhijldop c/" C A N T E R B U R Y 'i 
 
 fuch or fuch a Sinner; but mean to amend 
 and improve all, who want it: widiing every 
 one to apply as much as poflible of what he 
 hears to his own Benefit, but nothing to the 
 Reproach of his Neighbour. 
 
 Still you will prcfs them in vain to pay 
 Attention, unlefs you win them to it by 
 what you have to fay. And one principal 
 Contrivance for that Purpofe is to make your 
 Sermons extremely clear. Terms and Phrafes 
 may be familiar to you, which are quite un- 
 intelligible to them: and I fear this happens 
 much oftener than we fufped. I'herefore 
 guard againfl it. Your Expreffions may be 
 very common, without being low: yet em- 
 ploy the lowefi, provided they are not ridi- 
 culous, rather than not be underfioGd. Let 
 your Sentences, and the Parts of them, be 
 fhort, where you can. And place your 
 Words fo, efpecially in the longer, that your 
 Meaning may be evident all the Way. For 
 if they take it not immediately, they have no 
 Time to confider of it, as they might in read- 
 ing a Book : and if they are perplexed in 
 the Beginning of a Period, they will never 
 attempt going on with you to the End: but 
 
 give
 
 third Charge io his Clergy. 270 
 
 give up the Whole, as out of their Reach. 
 Avoid Ruiiicity and GrolTnefs in your Stile: 
 yet be not too fond of fmooth and foft and 
 flovving Language i but fludy to be nervous 
 and cxpreiTive^ and bear the Cenfurc of be- 
 ing unpolillied, rather than unfluencing. 
 Never multiply Arguments beyond Neceffi- 
 ty ; for they will only tire: abftain from 
 weak ones ; for they will difcredit the ftrong. 
 Employ no Arguments to prove Things, 
 which need not be proved ; for you will 
 only make them doubtful. Employ no long 
 or fubtle Arguments to prove any Thing: 
 but refl: your Affertions on the Didates of 
 plain good Senfe. Never exprefs yourfelves 
 on any Point, as hai:ing Tiominion coer the 
 Faith^ of your Hearers; but lay before them 
 the beft Evidence, of which they are capa- 
 ble. In Matters too high for them, let 
 them know, in a modeft Manner, that you 
 fpeak the Sentiments of the more learned, 
 in which Providence hath by their Station 
 direded them to acquiefce: in others, rea- 
 fon more at large, in the Spirit of St. Paul, 
 
 * 2 Cbr. i. 24; 
 
 when
 
 298 T^he ArchbiJJjop ^CANTERBURY*i 
 
 when he told the CorinthianSy I /peak as to 
 ivife Men : judge ye what I fay''. 
 
 You might perhaps give more Entertain- 
 ment, and procure more Applaufe, by difre- 
 garding fome of thefe Directions. But your 
 Bufinefs is, not to pleafe or be admired, but 
 to do Good : to make Men think, not of your 
 Abilities, Attainments, or Eloquence, but 
 of the State of their ovv'n Souls 3 and to fix 
 them in the Belief and Pradice of what will 
 render them happy now and to Eternity. 
 For this Purpofe J^obferve further) it will by 
 no Means fuffice to teach them outward 
 Regularity and Decency; and let them fancy 
 they have Religion enough, when they come 
 to Church pretty confiantly, and live as well 
 as thtir Neighbours: though, in fome Re- 
 fpeds, ill, and, Icarce in any, well, from a 
 Principle of Confcience. Or be they from 
 a Senfe of Duty ever fo hone ft, and fober, 
 and chafte, and beneficent; another indif- 
 penfable Part of Morals is the Difcipline of 
 the inward Man, An affedlionatc Piety is 
 full as neceffary, as Morals can be: and 
 Gofpel Piety no lefs than natural. 
 
 • I Cor. X. 15. 
 
 Here
 
 third Charge to hh Clergy. 2()') 
 
 Here then lay your Foundation : and fet 
 before your People the lamentable Condi- 
 tion of fallen Man, the numerous adual 
 Sins, by which they have made it worfe, the 
 Redemption wrought out for them by Jefus 
 Chrift, the Nature and Importance of true 
 Faith in him, their abfolute Need of the 
 Grace of the Divine Spirit in order to obey 
 his Precepts. This will be addrefling your- 
 felves to them as Chriftian Minifters ought 
 to Chrlflian Plearers. The holy Scriptures 
 will funii(h you with Matter for it abun- 
 dantly. Short and plain Reafonings, founded 
 on their Authority, will dart Convidion into 
 every Mind : whereas if your Dodrine and 
 your Speech be, not that of their Bibles; if 
 you contradid:, or explain away, or pafs 
 over in Silence, any Thing taught there, 
 they who are belT: contented with you, will 
 learn little from you; and others will be 
 offended, and quit you when they can. We 
 have in Fad loft many of our People to 
 Sectaries by not preaching in a Manner fuf- 
 ficiently evangelical: and fhall neither re- 
 cover them from the Extravagancies, into 
 which they have run, nor keep more from 
 
 going
 
 500 l^he Archbifiop of Can te r bur y V 
 
 going over to them, but by returning to the 
 right Way : declaring all the Counfcl of Goci^-, 
 and that principally, not m the Words, which 
 Ma?2s Wijdom teacheth, but which the Holy 
 Ghojl teacheth e. 
 
 Yet the obfcurer of fcriptural PafTjges we 
 fhall do well to omit : or if there be Need, 
 illaftrate them, as far as we can, briefly: not 
 to aim at minute Explanations of Myfteries; 
 bat urge the Belief of them from decifivc 
 Pailages of God's Word, quoted according to 
 its real Import, and leave them as that hath 
 left them. For by attempting to throw in 
 more Light, than our prefent State admits, 
 you will only dazzle and blind thofe, who 
 faw before as through a Glafs darkly^. 
 
 Toil a7'e Debtors indeed both to the wife and 
 to theimwifeK But remember, the ignorant 
 are by far the greateft Number : and unne- 
 ceffary Knowledge, if you could communi- 
 cate it to them, is of fmall Ufe. But you 
 will never be able to enlarge on abflrufe and 
 difficult Points to the Edification of the 
 Generality : whereas you may dwell on the 
 
 'Aftsxx. 27. siCor. ii. 13. i* i Cor. xiii. 1 2, 
 
 ^ Rom. i. 14. 
 
 c plainfl
 
 third Charge to bis Clergy, 301 
 
 plalneft to the Satlsfadlion and Improvement 
 of the mori: learned. It is true, declining to 
 fliew Reading or Acutenefs may be to fome a 
 painful Self-denial: but able Judges will 
 eafily perceive, both that you could fhevv 
 them, and why you do not. Therefore 
 enter but little, if at all, into Matters about 
 which your Hearers are not likely to err, 
 at lead dangeroufly. Yet fuffer not either 
 the Evidence or the Fundamental- of Chrif- 
 tianity, or the Honour of the Proteftant 
 Religion, or of the eftablillied Church, to 
 want a due Support, when you are any Way 
 called to the Defence of them. At fuch 
 Times, demonflrate your Zeal; but be fure 
 to do it with a Chriflian Temper; in Meekncfs 
 inJiruBing tbofe that oppofe themfchcs^: at 
 others, avoid a controverfial Manner, and 
 confine yourfelves to brief Inftrudions on 
 thefe Heads. 
 
 It may pofiibly fometlmes be necefTary in 
 our Sermons to vindicate our Rights, and 
 magnify our Office^. But this mull be done 
 very fparingly and cautioufly; fo as to cut 
 off all Pretence, that we tahc the Ovcrfight 
 
 ^ z. Tim. ii. zz, ^ Rom. xi. 13. 
 
 of
 
 302 The Archbijl:op ^Canterbury'j 
 
 of God's Flccky t'whtv for Jilthy Lucre, or from 
 a Deli re of betiig Lords over his Heritage'^, 
 We muft never fet up an undue, never a fuf- 
 picious Claim : but confefs, that the T^rea^ 
 Jure of the Gofpel is committed to us en- 
 tirely for the Sake of others, not our own ; 
 and that we have it in earthen Vejfels "^ are 
 liable to continual Imperfedlions and Frail* 
 ties. Such Humility is no lefs our Wifdom, 
 than our Duty. For that Clergyman will 
 always acquire the greateft Refpeifl:, who 
 fhcws the moil: Care to deferve it, and the 
 leaft Eagernefs to demand it. 
 
 Every Part of your Difcourfes muft pre- 
 ferve the Gravity and the Earneftnefs, which 
 is infeparable from Subjeds of a religious 
 Nature. If you can fpeak of thefe lightly 
 and negligently, your Auditors will fulpedt 
 you have little Concern about them : they 
 of Courfe will have lefs in hearing you: their 
 Thoughts will wander to the Ends of the 
 Earth, or their Attention to every Thing be 
 buried in Sleep. But though languid in no 
 Part, you will however be comparatively 
 cool in Expofitions of Scripture, in dodri- 
 
 ™ I Pet. V. 2, 3. "2 Cor. Jv. 7. 
 
 nal.
 
 third Charge to his Clergy. 303 
 
 nal, in cafuiflical Points, referving your chief 
 Warmth for the great Articles of Chriftian 
 Pradice. There your very utmoft Endea- 
 vours will be needful to produce in your Peo- 
 ple a due Senfe of Guilt and Unworthinefs, 
 fervent Defires of Pardon, Love to him who 
 hath loved them, Refignation to God's Plea- 
 fure, firm Purpofcs of obeying his Laws ; 
 ]to caution them effe(flually again/1 Profane- 
 nefs, Lukewarmnefs, Formality, Refentment, 
 Hard-heartednefs , unj uil Love of G ain. Fond- 
 nefs of unlawful Indulgences; to infpire 
 them with Good-will towards ail Men, with 
 proportionably kind Regards to thofe who 
 Hand in nearer Relations to them, Diligence 
 to be ufeful in their feveral Stations, reafon- 
 able Lidifference towards the Things of this 
 Life, pious Longings for a better. Their 
 Degree of Knowledge, Rank and Circum- 
 ftances of Life, their prevailing Notions and 
 Cuftoms, will afford you much further Em- 
 ployment to make your Sermons local, if 
 I may fo exprefs it; calculated to promote 
 the Virtues which they are chiefly called to 
 exercile, and guard agaiiift the Sins of which 
 they are chiefly in Danger. For what per- 
 6 f.aiy
 
 304 '^h^ Archhijhop o/'CanterburyV 
 
 fedly fults one Congregation may be ex- 
 tremely foreign from the Exigencies of ano- 
 ther. And further ftill you muft not only 
 urge them to do their Duty, but to ufe the 
 Means of doing it: which mufl: be pointed 
 out to them : avoiding Temptations, keeping 
 clear of bad Company, contradling Friend- 
 fhlps with ferious and prudent Perfons, em- 
 ploying themfelves in proper Bufinefs, read- 
 ing good Books, forming pious, yet prudent, 
 Refolutions, and begging, in private Prayer, 
 Grace to help in ^ime of Need"": not ftriilly 
 confining their Devotions to any Forms, 
 though Forms are very ufeful, but varying 
 them according to their fpiritual Condition. 
 Thefe are the Things, on which you muft 
 inlift with your whole Force: net as pleaf- 
 ing Meny but God which trieth our Hearts p. 
 
 Yet, while you take without Referve all 
 requjfite Freedom, you muft alfo take Care 
 not to provoke, inftead of reforming them^ 
 but fhew, that you fincerely wifh well to 
 them 5 and think as well of them as you 
 can : you muft praife them when you have 
 Opportunity J give them Cautions oftener 
 
 •Heb.iv. 16. P 1 Tiieff. ii. 4. 
 
 than
 
 tJjird Charge to his C l i: R g y . 305 
 
 than Reproofs, and never reprove harfhly ; 
 but exprefs a fatherly Concern, rather than 
 Anger at their Faults. Reprel'ent no Fault 
 as worfe than it is : and carry no Iiijunition 
 to an extravagant Height. If you do, they 
 will either think you unreafonable, or them- 
 felves incapable of becoming good; or will 
 run into fonie Abiurdity by attempting it. 
 And for their Encouragement, along with 
 the Duties, lay before them, in a flrong 
 Light, the Comforts alfo, prefent and futuce, 
 of Religion. 
 
 It is but too poflible, that fometimes you 
 mull excite your People to Virtues, in which 
 you are, more or lels, deficient yourfelves. 
 For it would be heinous Unfaithluhicfs to 
 omit or explain away neceflary Precepts be- 
 caufe you are imperfect in the Pradice of 
 them. And lamentable is our Cafe, if there 
 be any Chriftian Obligation, on which we 
 dare not for Shame fpeak freely : yet ftill 
 worfe, if we harden our Confciences, till we 
 venture boldly to enjoin what we habitually 
 tranfgrefs. For in that Cafe, not only cur 
 Credit will be utterly loft, but our Amend- 
 ment almoft abfolutely hopelefs. Therefore 
 
 U correct
 
 3 6 The Archhifiop ^ C A N T E R B u R Y '^ 
 
 corred your own Hearts and Lives in the 
 firft Place by the Difcoarfes which you com- 
 pofe: b:come in all Points good Men; and 
 then yoQ may fearlefsly fpeak on all Points 
 like fuch. 
 
 Yet even good Men muft obferve a Dif- 
 ference. Thofe of lefs Knowledge muft ex- 
 prefs themfelves with lefs Pofitivenefs, thofe 
 of lefs Gravity and Difcretion with lefs Au-* 
 thority and Striclnefs, than their Betters. 
 And every one fliould confider, what his Age 
 and Standings Reputation for Learning, Pru- 
 dence and Piety, will fupport him in faying ^ 
 that be may not take more upon him, thark 
 will be allowed him. Yet all muft aflidu- 
 oully take Pains to acquire, and preferve, 
 fuch Efteem, that they may fay with Pro- 
 priety whatever their Fundion requires. For 
 how unhappy would it be to difqualify 
 yourfelves from XJfefulnefs by Levity or In- 
 difcretion ! 
 
 But even the beft qualified to exhort muft 
 keep within dueBounds; convince the Judg- 
 ment before they attempt to warm the Paf- 
 fionsi rife gradually into what deferves the 
 Name of Vehemence; and be fure neither 
 
 5 i^
 
 third Charge to his Clergy . 307 
 
 to rife any higher, nor contiilue in that Strain 
 any longer, than th<:y are likely to carry 
 their Auditors along with them. For if they 
 are cold, whib the Preacher is pathetc, the 
 Impreflion mide upon them will he very 
 different from what he willies. And our 
 Nation is more difp fed, than mod others, 
 to approve a temperate Manner of fpeaking. 
 Every Thing, which can be called Oratory, 
 is apt to be deemed Affcdation : and if it 
 goes a great Length, raifcS Contempt and 
 Ridicule. But were the moft fcrious 
 Emotions to be raifed by mere mecha- 
 nical Vehemerfce, they would be unfairly 
 raifed : and what is beyond Nature will 
 ufually foon fubfide^ perhaps with Scorn, 
 upon Refledion, of what was admired when 
 heard. Or' fuppofing fuch Admiration to 
 continue, bad Effeds may as poiTibly follow 
 as good: whereas Warmth of Affc-dion, ex- 
 cited to a proper Degree by the rational En- 
 forcement of folid Arguments, promifes to 
 be durable, and will never do Harm. The 
 Faculty of moving Hearers thus, is a mod 
 valuable BleiTing. And fuch as have but 
 little of it, may confiderably improve it, by 
 
 U z labouring
 
 309 The Archhipop ^CANTERBUltY'i 
 
 labouring to affcift ihemfelves deeply with 
 what they would lay ; and thinking, what 
 Methods of laying it will be moil; p.rlualive. 
 But they muH: not attempt to foice an un- 
 willing Genius too far. If tbey do, what 
 it produces will be io ungraceful and unfuc- 
 cefsful, that they had much better content 
 themfelves to do as well as they can in their 
 ov/n Way. 
 
 Your Delivery muft in the firft Place be 
 fuch, that you can be heard ; elfe you preach 
 in vain: belides that fpeaking too low argues 
 Indolence and IndiiT^rence j whereas an 
 audible Exertion is a iV/uk of Earneflneis : 
 and the common People are peculiarly 
 pleafed, when their Miniiler appears to take 
 Pains about them. Eat then you muft nei- 
 ther be precipitately quick, (for if your 
 Words be underftood, your Meaning will 
 not) nor tedioufly flow; nor fink any one 
 Fart of your Sentence under its proper Level, 
 efpccially the concluding Part. Diftindnefs 
 will do mucli to fijpply Want of Strength in 
 fpeaking: which however it is very material 
 that you fiiould try to remedy gradually, as 
 many have done, by a prudent Exerclfe of 
 
 your
 
 third Charge to'hh Clergy. 309 
 
 your Voice. Yet draining bevond your due 
 Pitch will give your Hearers Pain, make 
 you in Icme De::rec inarticulate, anil pro- 
 duce a finging Sort of C.dence and Trne. 
 This laft indeed hath been fometimes knov'/n 
 to pleaie weak Perfons: but it cannot pt^fTi- 
 bly make them either wifer or better: and it 
 offends the judicious extremely. Many le«rn 
 in their Childhood a provincial Dialed, 
 which they cannot lay alide eafily; and yet 
 iliould endeavour it, eTpecially if they fettle 
 in a diffeient Part of the Nation. Some 
 acquire uncouth Accents one knows not 
 how: fome bring them from the Scho 1 or 
 the College : and now and then one feems 
 to hear a theatrical Pronunciation ; which 
 hath been condemned even by Heathen 
 Writers upon Oratory ; and is the very worft, 
 that a Chriftian Orator can adopt. It re- 
 minds his Hearers, greatly to his Difcrcdlt, 
 where he muH: probably have learnt it: he 
 will alfo appear by Means fA it to be only 
 adting a Part, and be legarded accordingly. 
 Jndced all remarkable Imitation, in Delivery' 
 as well as Compofition, though ot a Perfon 
 4n your own Pioicirion, and one jult'v nd- 
 
 U 3 mired.
 
 310 T'be y^rMi/hop of Cant ERBVRy's 
 
 mired, will be difliked. You will never 
 -attain to any advantageous Refemblance of 
 his Manner: but, by a miftakcn or overdone 
 Mimicry, turn what may perhaps be graceful 
 in the Original, into Oddnefs, Or could 
 you avoid that, you v/ould leflen your Weight 
 and Influence: which muft arife from fpeak- 
 ing in your own Charader, not perfonating 
 another. Every Man's Voice and Utterance, 
 as well as his Face, belongs to himfelf alone; 
 and it is vain to think either of looking or 
 talking like fuch or fuch a one. Therefore 
 preferve what is native to you : free It froni 
 adventitious Faults: improve it, if you can: 
 but remember, that you may deprave it by 
 the Endeavour ; and certainly will, if you 
 change It efTentially. Speak to your People, 
 as you would in Converfation, when you 
 undertake to inform or perfuade a Friend, 
 in a Concern of great Moment; only with 
 more Deliberatenefs, more Strength and 
 Energy, in Proportion to the Numbers : and 
 vary both your Stile and your Elocution, as 
 in Converfation you always do, fuitably to 
 your Matter. For Monotony both abfo-r 
 Jutely prevents Emotion, and foon deadens 
 
 Attention,
 
 third Charge to his Cl F R G Y. 311 
 
 Attention, it is woilt nidej(\ when uni- 
 formly unnatural, by degenera.'ng into a 
 kind of Chant. But mtrely to be unifurmly 
 inexprcflivej be it through Heavinefs, or 
 EfFcminacy, or infi-nificant Li^htneli^, is 
 either very blameabk, or, if it cannot be 
 helped, vcrv unhappy. And pernaps, a little 
 even of injudicious Variety is better than a 
 wearifome Saincnefs. 
 
 In public fpeaking, Perlbns commonly 
 fall into Errors, and ibmetimes great ones, 
 without perceiving if, though they can ob- 
 ferve fmall ones in otiiers. Therfore you 
 will act prudently in dcfinng iome Wcll- 
 wilher, on whofe Judgment and Frankuv^fs 
 you can depenJ, to advertife you of any 
 Thing wrong in the Conducl of your Voice, 
 or in your Adion j and you will {li?w your 
 Gratitude and good Senle by ftudying to 
 amend it. 
 
 We of this Nation are not given to ufe or 
 to admire much Action, eimcr in ordinary 
 Difcourfe, or twcn in populp.r Haangues. 
 And, were it for this Reafoii only, ^ Preac ler 
 Hiould be moderate in it. But befides, in 
 tl:ie Nature of the Thing, you had far better 
 
 U ^ havQ
 
 3 1 2 The ArckbiJJ:op o/' C a n t e r b u r y'^ 
 
 have none, than what is unbecoming, or 
 unmeaning, or unfuitable to what you are 
 faying, or repeated at certain Diftances, what- 
 ever you are faying. Yet fomewhat of Gef- 
 ture, appearing to be artlefs, and regulated 
 by Propriety, may be very ufeful, efpecially in 
 the warmer Parts, of Exhortation, Reproof, 
 or even Argument. For to be altogether 
 motionlefs, when the Subje<5t is animating, 
 and our Language perhaps vehement, feems 
 an Inconfiftency J and may raife a Doubt, 
 whether we are in earnefi. But ftill Defedl 
 in Adlion is better than Excefs. And a great 
 deal cannot well be ufed by thofe who read 
 their Sermons. 
 
 This is one Objedion againll reading 
 them: and there are Teveral befides. Perfons, 
 who are fhort-fighted, have peculiar Reafons 
 to avoid it. Indeed almofl all Perfons are 
 accuflomcd from their early Years to read in 
 a different Tone, from that in which they 
 read at other Times: and we feldom correct 
 it throughly. Or if we did, what we fay in 
 fuch Manner as to make it feem the prefent 
 Di(date of our own Hearts, will much better 
 rnake its Way into the Hearts of others, 
 
 thar^
 
 third Charge to ^/i Clergy. 313 
 than if oar Eyes are fixed all t!ie while on a 
 Paper, from which we vifibly recite the 
 Whole. It will ordinai'ly be uttered too 
 with more df^ngnged Freedom and livelier 
 Spirit. The Preacher alio will be abler to en- 
 force his W. rds by fignificant Looks: to per- 
 ceive from theCoLintenL;nces of his Hearers, 
 what they comprehend, and by what they are 
 moved : and may accordingly enlarge on that 
 Head, or proceed to another, as he finds 
 Caule. Hw may likewife oppofe with Succcfs 
 irregular itinerant Declaimers, who afFcdl 
 and gain Popularity by this Method: and as 
 their credulous Followers are apt to think it 
 a fupernatural Gift, he may undeceive them, 
 by imitating in this Cafe the Pra6lice of St. 
 PW in another, which he defcribes thus: 
 what 1 do J that I will do ; that whereiii they 
 glory y they may be found even as we'^. But 
 then there muft be a long and diligent Pre- 
 paration to do this Well : Ibme will Icarce 
 ever attain fufficient Prefence of Mind, and 
 Readinefs of Expreflion : others will acquit 
 themfelves handfomely in a good Flow of 
 Spirits, but meanly when thefe fail them : 
 
 ' 2 Cor. xi. 12. 
 
 and
 
 314 ^^^^ Archbijhop ^ C A N T e r b u r y '^ 
 
 and though little Inaccuracies will be ob- 
 served by few, yet Hefitations will by all, 
 and every other confiderable Fault by fenfible 
 Hearers, to the Preacher's great Difgrace. 
 Or if fuch do get the Faculty of being always 
 able to fay fomething plaufible, it will tempt 
 them to negled: the Improvement of their 
 Underftandings and their Difcourfesj and to 
 be content withdigretling, vv^henever they are 
 at a Lofs, from their Text and their Subje(ft, 
 to any Point, on which they can be copious: 
 to utter off Hand fuch Crudities, as they 
 could not bear to write down; and think the 
 meanefl: of extempore EfFufions good enough 
 for the Populace. Now on the contrary, pre- 
 vioufly fiudying and writing Sermons tends 
 to fill them with well digeiled and well a- 
 dapted Matter, difpofed in right Order; 
 efpecially, if you will carefully revile them 
 every Time you preach them; fupply Deq- 
 ciencies, blot out Repetitions, corred Impro- 
 prieties, guard againft Mifapprehenfions, en- 
 lighten what is obfcure, familiarize v.' hat is 
 too high, tranfpofe what is wrongly placed, 
 flrengthen the weak Parts, animate the 
 languid ones. YourCompofition needs not 
 
 be
 
 third Charge fo bis Cl'ERGY, 3 T 5 
 
 be at all the fiiffer, but »■ ay be the freer, 
 for the Pains thus employed upon it. You 
 may frame it paipofely to befpoken as if you 
 were not reading it: imd by looking it over 
 a few Times when you arc about to ufe it, 
 you may deliver it almoft without being 
 obferved to read it. The more you acquire 
 of this Art, the more you will be liked, and 
 the ftronger Impreflion you will make; 
 But after all, every Man, as the Apoftle faith 
 on a different Occalion, hath his proper Gift of 
 God; one after this Manner^ ayiother after 
 that*: let each cultivate his own > and no 
 one cenfure or dcfpife his Brother. There is 
 a middle Way, uied by our PredecefTors, of 
 fetting down, in (hort N jtes, the Method 
 and principal Heads, and enlarging on them 
 in fuch Words as prefent themfelves at the 
 Time. Perhaps, duly managed, this would 
 be the bell. That which is, or lately was, 
 common amongfl: foreign Divines, of writing 
 Sermons fird:, then getting and repeating 
 them by Heart, not only is unrealonably 
 laborious, but fubjeds Pe.fons to the Hazard 
 pf flopping difagreeably, and even breaking 
 
 ' I Cor. vii. 7. 
 
 off
 
 3 1 6 The Archhijlop o/'CanterbitryV 
 
 off abruptly, for want of Memory. Or if 
 they efcape that Danger, there ftill remains 
 another, of faying their Lefibn with un- 
 graceful Marks of Fear and Caution. 
 
 Inftead of taking a Text, which compre- 
 hends within itfelf the whole Subje(5t, of 
 which you would treat, it may often be ufeful 
 to chufe one, which hath a Reference to 
 Things preceding and following it, and to 
 expound all the Context. This will afford 
 you a Variety of Matter, and give you Op- 
 portunities for fliort unexpecled Rem.arks ; 
 with which Perfons are frequently more 
 flruck, than with an entire Difcourfe^ for of 
 the latter they forefee the Drift all the Way, 
 and therefore fet themfelves to fence a^ainfl it. 
 Thus alfo you may illuftrate the Beauties, at 
 the fame Time that you fhew the pradical 
 Ufes, of large Portions of Scripture at once: 
 for Inftance, of a Parable, a Converfation, a 
 Miracle of our bleffed Lord ; or a Narration 
 concerning this or that other memorable 
 Perfon, whether defervingof Praifeor Blame. 
 For Scripture Hiftories and Examples are 
 eafily remembered, and have great Weight.. 
 In Proportion as we overlook them, we fliall 
 
 appeaf
 
 third Charge to his Clu\qy. 317 
 
 appear lefs to be Minifters of God's Word : 
 and Qur People will have lefs Veneration for 
 us, or for it, or for both. You may al fo in 
 ths Method, as you go along, obviate Ob- 
 jedions to Paffiges of God's Word without 
 itating them in Form, at which othervvife 
 many may ftumble, if they read with Atten- 
 tion: and if they do not attend, they will 
 read with no Profit. Several Things in holy 
 Writ feem to be flrange j hardly confident one 
 ivith another, or with our natural Notions. 
 Of thefe Difficulties, which muil: always 
 perplex Perfon?, and mny often deliver them 
 over a Prey to Infidels, you may occafionally 
 remove one and another; meddling with 
 none, but fuch as you can overcome: and 
 from your Succefs in thefe, you may obfervc 
 to your Auditors the Probability, that others 
 are capable of Solutions alfo. Perhaps they 
 will forget your Solution : but they will re- 
 member that they heard one, and may have 
 it repeated to them, if they pleafe. By thefe 
 Means you wi'l teach your People, what is 
 grievoufly wanting in the prefent Age, to 
 value their Bibles more, and underftandthem 
 better : and to read them both with Plcafure 
 
 and
 
 3 1 S T'he ArchbtJJdop of Canterbur yV 
 
 and Profit, drawing from diem ufeful In- 
 ferences and Obfervations, as they have heard 
 you do. Formerly Courfes of Ledures on 
 whole Books of Scripture were cuftomary in 
 Churches 5 and they were doubtlefs extremely 
 beneficial. It would notbeeafy, if pcffible, 
 to revive theie now: but the Pradice, which 
 I have been propofing to you, is fome Ap- 
 proach towards them. 
 
 I would alfo advife you to inflrudt your 
 Parifhioners, amongft other Things, from 
 fome proper Text or Texts, in the daily and 
 occafional Services of the Church : not with 
 a View to extol either immoderately, much 
 lefs to provoke Wrath againft thofe whodif- 
 fent from us 5 but mildly to anfwer unjull: 
 Imputations upon our Liturgy, and chiefly 
 to fhew the Meaning, the Reafons, the Ufes 
 of each Part ; that your Congregations may, 
 as the Apoflle exprefi^es it, pray with the Vn- 
 derfianding\ In all Compofitions, there will 
 be fome Things, which to fome Perfons want 
 explaining: and, were the Whole ever fo 
 clear. Men are ftrangely apt both to hear and 
 to fpeak Words, that are become familiar to 
 
 • I Cor. xiv. 15, 
 
 them.
 
 third Charge fo lis CfERGY, 319 
 
 them, with fcarce any Attention to their 
 Senfe. And fo by Degrees a bodily Atten- 
 dance and Woifhlp becomes all that they 
 pay: and they return Home almoft as little 
 edified, as they would by Devotions in a 
 Tongue unknown. Convincing them of this 
 Fault, and ailifting them to amend it, mu{l 
 greatly contribute to the Promotion of true 
 Piety amcncrft them. Nor will it be a fmall 
 Benefit, if, in the Courfe of your liturgical 
 Inftrudlions, you can perfuade the Bulk of 
 your Congregations to join in the decent Ufe 
 cf Pfalmody, as their Forefathers did j in- 
 ftead of the prefent fl^iameful Neglecft of it, 
 by almoft all, and the conceited Abufe of it 
 by a few. 
 
 But a fervent Defire of being ufeful will 
 teach you more than any particular Direflions 
 can, upon every Head. Without this Defire, 
 you will either be negligent ; or if you would 
 feem zealous, you will be deted;ed for Want 
 of Uniformity and Perfeverance. Therefore 
 make fure firfl: that all be right within, and 
 out of the good Treafiire cf the Heart you ivill 
 bring forth good ^hwgs^, naturally and pru- 
 
 » Matth. xii. 3J. 
 
 dently.
 
 320 The ArchbiJJjop ^y Canterbury'/ 
 
 dently, and, through the Grace of the Hol)^ 
 Spirit, efFedually. It is not t?i{y indeed even 
 to inflru6l the willing; much lefs to con* 
 vince the unwilling, and reform the wicked* 
 But ftill thefe are the Purpofes, for which 
 we are God's Embaffadors: and we muft try 
 with indefatigable Perfeverance every Way to 
 execute our Commifiion. We muft ftudy 
 human Nature in our own Breafts, and thofe 
 of others: we muft acquaint ourfelves, by 
 all innocent Means, with the Opinions and 
 Pradices of the World, efpecially of our 
 Hearers, that we may lay their Hearts and 
 Lives open to their View, and make them 
 feel what we fay. We muft confider all the 
 while we compofe, and reconfider as we 
 preach and afterwards : " Is this adapted 
 fufficiently to the Capacities, the State of 
 Mind, the Circumftances of the poor 
 People who are to hear it: will this Part 
 ** be clear, that home enough, a third well 
 '* guarded againft Miftakes : will they go 
 ** back as much better difpofed than they 
 *''■ came, as it is in our Power to make them ?" 
 Perhaps one or more Ways of reprefenting a 
 neceflary Dodlrine or Duty have failed. We 
 
 muft 
 
 cc 
 <c
 
 third Charge io his Clergy, 321 
 
 .muft think, whether a more likely may not 
 be found, or a lefs likely in Appearance 
 prove more fuccefsful. 
 
 If you have preached a confiderable Time 
 in a Place, and done little or no Good; there 
 muft in all Probability, be fome Fault, not 
 only in your Hearers, but in you or your 
 Sermons. For the Word of God, when duly 
 difpenfed, is to this Day, as it was originally, 
 powerful, andjharper than a two-edged Sivord"^. 
 Inquire then, where the Fault may be. 
 Never defpair, nor be immoderately grieved, 
 if your Succefs be fmall: but be not in- 
 different about it : do not content yourfelves 
 with the indolent Plea, that you have done 
 your Duty, and are not anfwerable for the 
 Event. You may have done it as far as the 
 Law requires : yet by no Means have dif- 
 charged your Confciences. You may have 
 done it confcientioufly, yet not with the 
 Diligence or the Addrefs that you ought. 
 And as we are leldom eaiy in other Cafes, 
 when we fail of our End ; if we are fo in 
 this, it doth not look well. At lead confult 
 
 ■ Heb. iv. 12. 
 
 X your
 
 322 The ArchbiJl:op of Can t e r bur y*5 
 
 your Hearts upon the Point. And if you 
 have been deficient, beg of God Pardon, 
 Grace and Diredioni endeavour to do more 
 for your People ; confult your Brethren 
 about the Means. Converfation of this Na- 
 ture will much better become Clergymen 
 when they meet, than any which is not 
 relative to their Profefiion, or only rela- 
 tive to the Profits of it. But efpecially 
 alk the Advice of the moft able and fe- 
 rious. 
 
 I am very fenfible, that in all the Particu- 
 lars before-mentioned I have been far from 
 obferving fufficiently myfelf^the Rules which 
 I have now recommended to you: but hope 
 I fhall make fome Amends, though late, to 
 the Church of Chrift, by exhorting and di- 
 reifiling others. It was my Purpofe, after 
 fpeakiiig of ftated Inftrudlions, to have pro- 
 ceeded to occafionai ones: a very important 
 and fadly negleded Part of the paftoral Care, 
 But my Strength will not fuffice : and I 
 have detained you already too long. If God 
 fpare me to another like ^Occafion, that 
 Hiali be my Subjed, If not, as is moft 
 
 probable,
 
 third Charge fo his Clergy. 323 
 
 probable, I fhall endeavour to leave behind 
 me [baie Admonitions to you concern- 
 ing if. At prefcnt I can only intreat you 
 to confider very ferioully, what Numbers 
 there are in moft Parifhcs, and therefore 
 perhaps in yours, whom you cannot think 
 to be in a State of Salvation j and how 
 greatly it imports you to ufe with them, as 
 you folemnly promifed at your Ordination, 
 not only public hut private Monitions, as ISJeed 
 JJmll reqidre^ and Occajion JJmll he given. The 
 eternal Welfare of many poor Creatures 
 may depend on tills : and your own is deeply 
 concerned in it, as God himfelf hath de- 
 clared : who will certainly expedt that what 
 he requires you to do, be done to the very 
 utmofi: of your Ability. Son of Man, I 
 have made thee a Watchman imto the Houfe of 
 Jfrael: therefore hear the Word at my Mouth, 
 and give them Warjiing from me* Jf thou 
 dojl not fpeak to warn the ivicked from his 
 wicked Way J he fjall die in his Iniquity, tut 
 his blood will I require at thitie Hand, 
 
 * Nothing of this Kind has been found among his Grace's 
 Papers. 
 
 X z But
 
 324 7heAbp. o/'Cant£RBury*5 Charge^tcc. 
 
 But if thou warn the wickedy and he turn 
 not from his Wickednefsy he Jhall die in 
 his Iniquityy but thou hajl delivered thy 
 Soul *. 
 
 * Ezek. iii. 1 7 , 1 8, 1 9, xxxiii. 7,8,9. 
 
 INSTRUCTIONS
 
 INSTRUCTION^ 
 
 GIVEN TQ 
 
 CAN D I DAT E S 
 
 FOR 
 
 ORDERS 
 
 ^fter their fubrcribing the Articles, 
 
 X3
 
 Genthnen, 
 
 YOU have now made the Subfcription, 
 by Law required. And as, in fo do- 
 ing, you have acknowledged the Liturgy and 
 Articles of the Church of England to be 
 agreeable to the Word of God ; I hope you 
 will think yourfelves bound, as you are, to 
 be careful, that the Inftrudions which you 
 give, and the Dodrines which you maintain, 
 in public and in private, be agreeable to that 
 Liturgy and thofe Articles: that you neither 
 contradi6t, nor omit to inculcate and defend, 
 on proper Occafions, the Truths, which they 
 contain. 
 
 In the next Place I exhort you to fpend a 
 due Share of the Remainder of this Day in 
 what, I truft, hath employed not a little of 
 your Time already i weighing diligently the 
 
 X 4 Nature
 
 328 Instructions given to 
 
 Nature and Importance of the Undertaking, 
 in which you are about to engage; forming 
 fuitable Refolutions; and earneftly begging 
 that Grace of God, which alone can make 
 you able Minijlers of the ISlew Tejlament ". 
 
 Nothing is better iitted to afTift you in 
 this good Workj than the Office of Ordina- 
 tion, of Deacons or Priefts, as you are re- 
 fpedively concerned. You muft certainly 
 have read it over, before you offered your- 
 felves. Since that, you have been direded 
 to read it again. But I defire you to perufe 
 it once more this Afternoon with your (jeft 
 Attention, that you may join in it to- 
 morrow with a greater degree of rational 
 Serioufnefs; and particularly, that you may 
 anfwer, on more deliberate Confideration, 
 the Queftions, which will then be put to 
 you. For there can hardly be a Cafe, in 
 which either Infincerity, or even Thought- 
 lelTnef?, would carry in it heavier Guilt. 
 
 And that you may be in no Perplexity 
 concerning the Meaning or Fitnefs of any 
 Part of the Office, it may be ufeful to go 
 through fome Parts of it along with you 
 
 * 2 Cor. »i. 6, 
 
 beforehand,
 
 |Candi DATES ycT Orders. 329 
 
 beforehand, proceeding as they lie in the 
 Book. 
 
 The firft Thing, which Candidates, both 
 for Deacons and Priefts Orders, after t^^ey 
 are prefented, are required to do, as di:lin(fl 
 from the reft of the Congregation, is to 
 take the Oaths of Allegiance, and Supremacy. 
 For as you are to be Minifters of the 
 Church eftablifhed by Law in this Nation, 
 it is evidently reafonable, that the civil Go- 
 vernment, eftablifhed by Law, fiiould be 
 afTured of the Fidelity and AfFedion of Per- 
 fons to whom it gives and fecures Privileges 
 and Profits; and who are intrufted with the 
 Care, amongft other Matters, of rrraklng 
 Men good Subjeds. Now thefe Oaths bind 
 every Perfon, who takes them, to honour the 
 King^i and by Confeqiience all that are put 
 in Authority under him, both in Word and 
 Deed J and to /W, in Subje(?iion to th^m, 
 quiet and peaceable Lives\ That thefe 
 Things may with a oood Confcience be 
 promifcd and performed^ there is no juft 
 Caufe of Doubt. But if any one thinks 
 there is, he ought to apply for Satisfa6lion; 
 
 ^ I Pet.ii. i';. = I Tim. ii. 2. 
 
 and
 
 330 Instructions given to 
 
 and till he receives it, he ought to abfhln 
 from taking the Oachs. I^or whatever is not 
 cf Fait by is Sin'^ : end in this Cafe it would 
 be no lefs, than Perjury. Nothing is a Plea 
 fufficient for committing any Sin, much lefs 
 one fo heinous: not even all the Force, that 
 can be ufed. But here is no Shadow of 
 Force. You are come voluntarily to offer 
 yourfelves, well knowing that the Oaths 
 muft be tendered to you : that is, you have 
 ^lade it your Choice to take them. 
 
 But by your Subfcriptionyou have entered 
 - into a further Obligation : to ufe the Liturgy 
 in all your public Miniftrations ^* and 
 therefore, to pray for the King by Name, for 
 bis long Life and Profperity, for his obtaining 
 Vidory over all his Enemies. God forbid, 
 that any one, who doth this, fhould be c^if- 
 aftecled to the Government, under which 
 we live. And if we are Friends, it is both 
 our Duty and our Wifdom to (hew that we 
 are. For thus we fhall flrengthen an Efla- 
 bli{llmen^ on which, under God, the fafe 
 Enjoyment of our Religion intirely depends -, 
 yjQ ihail procure the Support, which we 
 
 •I Rom. xjv. 23. 'Qa.n.id. 
 
 3 cannot
 
 CANDiDATEs/^r Orders. 331 
 
 cannot but be fenfible, that we want; and 
 we (ball filence, or at lead confute thofe, 
 who love to fpeak defpitefuUy againftus on 
 this Head. 
 
 After the Oaths, Candidates for Deacons 
 Orders are afked : Do ycti triift that you arc 
 inwardly mo^ced by thje Holy Ghoft to take upon 
 you this Office and Miniflraiion ^ A folemn 
 Queftion : and which ought to be well con- 
 fidered, before it is anfwered. Obferve then ; 
 it is not faid, Do you feel; have you an imme- 
 diate Perception of fuch an Impulfe from 
 the Holy Ghoft, as you can diftinguilh from 
 all other inward Movements by its Manner 
 of imprefling you : but, Do you triiji -, are 
 you on good Grounds perfuaded? What 
 then are the proper Grounds of fuch Per- 
 ' fuafion ? 
 
 In the fiift Place, if he hath not moved 
 you efFcdually to Xiytfoberly, rigbteoujly, etna 
 godly \ you may be fure he hath not moved 
 you to aiTume the Office of a Minifter in 
 God's Church. Examine yourfelves there- 
 fore ftridtly on this Point: a moft important 
 one to all Men; but to you, if poOlble, 
 
 ^Tit. ii. 12. 
 
 above
 
 332 Instructions given to 
 
 above all : and before you |.)refume to offi- 
 ciate in his Houfe, afk your Hearts, Do 
 you tranfgrefsj do you omit, no Duty, wil- 
 fully or knowingly ? Have you a genuine 
 pradical Faith in Chrifl: ? Are you, on the 
 Terms of the Gofpel Covenant, intitled to 
 everlafting Life ? But fuppofing that you 
 are, more is requifite in the prefent Cafe : 
 and what more, the latter Part of the Quef- 
 tion points out. To ferve God, for thepro^ 
 moting of his Glory\ and the edifying of his 
 Church, This then being the Defign of 
 the Office ; if, (o far as you know your 
 own Hearts, this is your Motive to defire 
 it; and if, fo far as you can judge of your 
 own Abilities and Attainments, they are 
 equal to it in fome competent Degree : then 
 you may fafely anfwer, that you trufi ycu 
 are moved by the Holy Ghofl to take it upon 
 yctf. For we can have fuch Trujl to God- 
 •ward only through Chrifl, who hath fent us 
 the Spirit : 'we are 7iot fufjicient to do or think 
 any Thing as of ourfelves : but our Sufficiency 
 is of God^. Together with this principal 
 IVJotiye, ciferving God by edifying his People, 
 
 If 2 Cor. iii- 4, 5. 
 
 you
 
 CANDIDATESyi/r OrDERS. 333 
 
 you may allowably have the fubordinate one, 
 of providing a decent Maintenance for your 
 own Support, and for thofe who may belong 
 to you : but if you are indifferent or cool 
 about the former, and attentive only or 
 chiefly to the latter :. fince you cannot think 
 that fuch Difpofitions are approved by the 
 Holy Spirit, as proper for the A'liniftry, you 
 will be guilty of lying to him ^, if you af- 
 firm, that he hath moved vou to enter on it 
 with them. Therefore infpedt your Souls 
 thoroughly ; and form them, by the Help of 
 divine Grace, to be duly influenced by the 
 right Principle, before you venture to anfwer 
 this Queflion : which is very wifely made 
 the leading one; becaufe your Inducement; 
 will be the Rule of your Behaviour, and 
 probably alfo the Meafure of your Succefs. 
 
 The next Queftion, put to thofe who 
 apply for Deacons Orders, and the iirfl: to 
 fuch as have received them, and defire to be 
 admitted Priefts, is, Do you thinks that you are 
 truly called^ according to the Will of Chrijl, 
 and the due Order of this Realm, to the Mi^ 
 nljlry of the Church ? This is, are you con- 
 
 •> Ads V. 3. 
 
 fcious
 
 '334 H^sn^vcfioNS ghen to 
 
 fcious neither of any Defed in Body 6f 
 Mind, nor of any other Impediment, which 
 may, for the prefent, if not for ever, be, 
 according to the Laws of God or Man, a jufl 
 Obftacle in your Way ? Such Things ma/ 
 efcape our Knowledge or Memory. There- 
 fore we call upon you to inform us. And 
 you are bound to anfwer with Sincerity. 
 
 It is not requifite, that I fliould enlarge on 
 every Queflion ; though it is, that you fhould 
 weigh every one ferioufly. That, which 
 recites the Duties of Deacons, may feem to 
 have fome Difficulty in it : as it affigns to 
 them Occupations, which the Acts of the 
 Apoftks do not, in the Hiftory of their Ap- 
 pointment'; and as they are but little em- 
 ployed now in the fingle Bufinefs, therd 
 allotted to them. But that PafTage of Scrip- 
 ture plainly was intended to fet forth, only 
 the immediate and urgent Reafon of or- 
 daining them, not the Whole of what was, 
 then or foon after, given them in Charge^ 
 -For we find in the fame Book, that PMIijf 
 tlie Deacon both preached and baptized K' 
 And the Qualifications, required in Deacons 
 
 *A6l8vi. * Aflsviii. 5— 13, 26 — 40. 
 
 by
 
 Candidates for Orders. 33^ 
 
 by St. Taid •, intimate very clearly, that 
 more Things muft, even then, have been 
 incumbent upon them, than administering 
 to the Relief of the Poor. Accordingly, 
 from the primitive Ages downwards, they 
 are defcribed as performing occafionaliy moft 
 of the fame Offices, which they do now; 
 and being, what their Name denotes, affiftant 
 and fubfervicni to Priefls in all proper Em- 
 ployments ^. And the lefs they are engaged 
 in their chief original one, the more Oppor- 
 tunity and the more Need they have, to fhew 
 Diligence in the other good Works, belong- 
 ing or fuited peculiarly to their Station. 
 
 The next Queftion is common to Candi- 
 dates for each Order: Will you fajljton your 
 cwn hives y and thofe cf your Families, fo far 
 as in you Heth^ to be ivholefome Examples to 
 the Flock ofChrift? This extends to avoid- 
 ing in your own Behaviour, and reflraining in 
 theirs, Follies, Levities, mean and difreput- 
 able Adions, as well as Crimes and Vices. 
 The Apoftle enjoins Deacons and their Wives 
 to be grave • : much more than ought Priefts. 
 
 ' I Tim. iii. & — 13. "*" SczBiKgham':, Orlg. Eccl. 1. %i 
 
 C. 30. ' ° I Tim. iii. 8, ii. 
 
 He
 
 33^ Instructions I'/^-f;/ /(? 
 
 He enjoins every Cbriftl^n to ahjlainfrom alt 
 Appearance of Evil". And our bleffed Lord 
 enjoins all his Difciples to be wife, as well 
 as harmlefs p. Therefore govern yourfelves 
 and yours by thefe Rules : and confider fre- 
 quently, whether you obferve them well^ 
 For without it you will neither gain Efteem^ 
 nor do good. 
 
 The lafi: Queflion^ put alike to the whole 
 Number of Candidates, is, Wilt you reverently 
 obey your Ordinary , and them to iDhom the Go- 
 vernment over you is committed? You would 
 bebound to this, though you were not to 
 promife it: for both Reafon and Scripture 
 demand it. Still more firmly you will be 
 bound, when you have promifed it, though 
 it were of fmall Importance. But it is of 
 very great, not only to the Dignity and Eafe 
 of your Superiors, but to your own Intereft, 
 and the Benefit of the whole Church. Our 
 Saviour both commands, and prayed for 
 Unity amongft his Followers in the mofl: 
 cxprellive Terms 'i. Without Union there 
 cannot be a fufficicnt Degree either of Strength 
 
 * I Thefr. V. 22. P Matih.x. i6. ^ Johnxiii. 34, 35. 
 xvii. II, 13, 21, tz, 23. 
 
 or
 
 CANDIDATESy^r OrDERS. 337 
 
 or Beauty : and without Subordination there 
 cannot long be Union. Therefore obey, as 
 the Apoflle diredls, them that have the Rule 
 over you ^ j and promote their Honour, their 
 Credit, their Influence. This will make uS 
 abler to ferve the Caufe of Religion, and 
 protect you. And God forbid that, fo far as 
 we are able, we fhould ever fail to be willing 
 and zealouSi 
 
 In the Office for the Ordination of PrieftSi 
 after a pious and awful Charge, which I 
 recommend to your mofi: ferious Attention, 
 follow feveral Queftions of the greateft Mo- 
 ment, your Anfwers to which, I hope, you 
 will remember to the laft Day of your Lives. 
 In thefe Anfwers, befides v/hat hath been 
 already mentioned, you promife, that the 
 T)o5lrtne and Difcipline of Chrijif as contained 
 in Scripture, and received in this Church a?id 
 Realm, {hall be the Standard of your teach- 
 ing and adling ; and every Thing contrary 
 to them be faithfully oppofed by you : that 
 you will ufe both public and private Monitions 
 and Exhortatio?25, as well to the Sick as to the 
 Whole ^ within your Cures j and that, as fre- 
 
 'Heb.xiii. 17. 
 
 Y quently
 
 ^3^ Instritctions ghen to 
 
 quently and fully as Need flmll require, and 
 Occajion be given. You promife alfo, that 
 you ivillbe diligent in Prayers and reading the 
 Holy Scriptures i which by the preceding 
 Exhortation evidently appears to mean, pri-. 
 vate Prayer and Reading; and infuch Studies, 
 as help to the Knowledge of Scripture ; laying 
 ajide the Study of the World and the FleJJj : 
 that is, not making, either grofs Pleafures, 
 or more refined Amufements, even literary 
 ones unconnected with your Profeffion, or 
 Power, or Profit, or Advancement, or Ap- 
 plaufe, your great Aim in Life ; but labour- 
 ing chiefly to qualify yourfelves for doing 
 Good to the Souls of Men, and applying 
 carefully to that Purpofe whatever Qualifica- 
 tions you attain. Further yet, you promife, 
 that you iviil maintain and fet forwards, as 
 much as lieth in sou, ^ietnefs, Peace and Love- 
 among all Chriftian People-, and efpecially 
 among them, that are or fjall be committed to 
 your Charge. By this you oblige yourfelves, 
 never to raife or promote perfonal, family, 
 parochial, ecclefiafticai, political, or any 
 other, Anirnofitics ; but to difcourage, and, if 
 pofiiblcj compofe and extinguifii them -, than 
 
 which
 
 CANDiDATEsy^r Orders. 339 
 
 which you cannot perform a more ChrlQian 
 Part, or one more conducive to your Honour 
 and your Ufefulnefs. 
 
 But, befides pondering well beforehand 
 thefe AnfwerSj which you are to make, I 
 earneftly beg you, to read and think them 
 over often afterwards: and particularly, at 
 each Return of the Ember Weeks to exa'mine 
 yourreives,as in thePrefence of God, whether 
 you have made good the Engagement, into 
 which you entered at your Ordination. So 
 far as you have, this Practice will afford you 
 the greateft poffible Comfort : fo far as you 
 may have tailed, it will fuggeft to you the 
 tno{\. ufeful Admonition. 
 
 After thefe Qj^eftions, a fhort Silence is 
 appointed to be kept for the fecret Prayers of 
 the Congregation, that God would enable 
 and incline you to do what you have under- 
 taken: which Blefiing, I hope, you will afk 
 at the fame Time foryotirfelves very earneftly. 
 Then follows a Hymn of conliderable Anti- 
 quity: and to be repeated with much Reve- 
 rence, on Account of the important Petitions 
 and Dodlrines comprized in it, though it be 
 altogether void of Ornament in that old Tran- 
 
 Y 2 (lation.
 
 340 I^stAu CT ion s ghen to 
 
 llation, which we ftill retain. Next to thi?, 
 follows a very proper Addrefs to the Throne 
 of Grace, pronounced by the Bifhop alone, 
 in the Name of the whole AiTembly : which 
 is indantly fucceeded by the Ad of Ordina- 
 tion. 
 
 The firfl: Words of that, Receive the Holy 
 Ghoft, were ufed by our Saviour to his Apo- 
 ftles, immediately after he had faid, as my 
 Father hath fent me, even fo fend 1 you'', God 
 gave not the Spirit by Meafiire unto him^: and 
 he was able to beftow what Meafure he 
 pleai'ed, both of fpiritual Gifts and Graces, 
 upon others. He meant however by this 
 Benediction to confer only the ordinary ones : 
 for the extraordinary, you know, were re- 
 ferved till after his Afcenfion. Far be it 
 from the BiOiops of his Church to claim, 
 even in Refpecft of the former, the Powers 
 which he had. But flill thefe Words in our 
 Mouths, when fpoken over you, properly 
 exprefs, in the firlT: Place, the Communica- 
 tion of that Authority, which proceeds from 
 the Holy Ghoft. For we read, that the Holy 
 Ghoffaid, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for 
 
 ' John XX. 21, 22. * John iii. 34, 
 
 the
 
 Candidates for Orders. 341 
 
 the Work J iv hereunto I have called them " : and 
 that the latter of thefe exhorted the Elders 
 of the Church of Ephefus, Take Heed to the 
 Flock f over which the Holy Ghofi hath made 
 you Overfeers ^''. They alfo exprefs, in the 
 fecond Place, our earneft requcft to the 
 Father of Mercies, that you may at all Times 
 enjoy fuch Proportions, both of the Graces 
 and Gifts of the Spirit, as will be needful for 
 you: which Requefl:, if it be not your own 
 Fault, will prove effecftual i becaufe having, 
 in the common Courfe of his Providence, 
 appointed us, though unworthy, to adt ia 
 this Behalf, he will affuredly be ready to own 
 and blefs our Miniftrations. 
 
 It follows very foon : whofe Sins thou do/i 
 forgive y they are forgive n-j and whofe Sins thou 
 do ft retain^ they are retained. Thefe again 
 are the Words of Chrift to his Apoftles, 
 immediately after the former. But he did 
 not grant to them the Power, either of re- 
 taining the Sins of penitent Perfons, or of 
 forgiving the impjnitent. Nor do we pre- 
 tend to grant, by uttering them, all the 
 Powers, which the Apoftles had in this 
 
 " Afls xiii. z. '"' h^i xx, 2K. 
 
 Y 3 Refpea
 
 342 Instuctions given to 
 
 Refped:. They had the Difcernment of Spirits'^ i 
 and could fay with Certainty, when Perfons 
 were penitent, and confequently forgiven, 
 and when not''. They were able alfo to 
 inflid: miraculous punifhments on Offenders; 
 and to remove, on their Repentance, the 
 Puniihments, which had been inflidled, 
 Thefe Words will convey Nothing of all this 
 to you. But ftill, when we ufe them, they 
 give you, firft, an AfTurance, that according 
 to the Ter.ms of that Gofpel, which you are 
 to preach, Men fhall be pardoned Or con- 
 demned : fecondly, a Right of infliding 
 eccleiiallical Cenfures for a {horter or longer 
 Time, and of taking them off; which, in 
 Regard to external Communion, is retaining 
 or forgiving Offences. This Power, being 
 beftowed for the Edification of the Church, 
 muft be retrained, not only by general 
 Rules of Order, but according to the parti- 
 cular Exigencies of Circumftances. And 
 our Church Wifhes, with much Reafon, for 
 Circumftances more favourable to the Exer- 
 tion of it"^. But how little foever exerted, 
 
 « iCor. xii. 10. ^ Aasviii. 21, 23, * Office 
 
 of Coraminatioa,. 
 
 1 the
 
 CANDiDATEsy2?r Orders. 343 
 
 the Power is inherent in tlie Oilite of 
 Pricftliood. And though we are no more 
 infallible in our Proceedings and Sentences, 
 than temporal Judges are in theirs i yet our 
 Ads, as well as theirs, are to be refpeded, 
 as done by competent Authority. And if 
 they are done on good Grounds alfo, luhat- 
 ever we J}:aU bind or loofe on Earth, will he 
 bound or loofed in Heaven*, Nor will other 
 Proofs of Repentance be fufficient in the 
 Sight of God, if Subniiflion to the Difcipline 
 of the Church of Chrift, when it hath been 
 s offended, and requires due Satifadion, be 
 obQinately refufed, either from Haughiinefs 
 or Negligence. 
 
 To thefe Words is fubjoined the conclu^ 
 ding Charge: and be thou a faithful L)ifpcnfir 
 of the Word of God^ and of his holy Sacra- 
 ments. This then is the Scewardlhip com- 
 mitted to vou. And vou cannot but fee, in 
 what a profane and corrupt Age it is com- 
 mitted to you: howgrievoufly Religion, and 
 its Minifters, are hated or defpifcd; how 
 lamentably both they, and its other ProfciTors, 
 are degenerated and divided. Your Bjfmefs 
 
 » Matth. xviii. i8. 
 
 Y 4 will
 
 344 Instruction's fl^/i;f;2 /(? 
 
 will be, each within the Sphere of his In-» 
 fluence, to prevent thefe Things from grow- 
 ing worfe; which, bad as they are, they ftill 
 may; and, if porfible, to make them belter j 
 or at leaf!-, to recover or preferve fuch, as you 
 can, from the general Depravity. But you 
 will never fucceed in your Attempts for this 
 Purpofe, either by Bitternefs againft Infidels, 
 Heretics, and Sedaries, or by Contempt and 
 Ridicule of enthufiaftic or fuperftitious Per- 
 fons. The only right Method is a very 
 different one: diligent Study, to fit yourfelves 
 more completely for teaching and vindicating 
 the Truths of Chriftianity : fcriptural and 
 rational Inftrudion, affiduoufly given, with 
 Zeal and Mildnefs duly tempered, and fuited 
 to the Capacities and Condition of your 
 Hearers : a willing and devout and ^ffc0.ing 
 Performance of all facred Rites, whether in 
 the Church or elfewhere: but above all, a 
 Behaviour, innocent, humble, peaceable, dif- 
 interefted, beneficent, abilemious, difcieet, 
 religious. 
 
 Take Heed therefore to your Steps : and 
 walk in the prefent evil Days with fuch 
 Piety and Caution, that, as the Office exhorts, 
 
 you
 
 Candidates for Orders. 345 
 
 you ??my ?ieithcr off'end, nor he Occajton that 
 others off'end ; but may cut off Occnfion front 
 them which dcfire Occafon^ againft youj that 
 they who are of the contrary Part, and falfely 
 accufe your good Cojiverfation in Chrif^ may be 
 cfoamed^ of thcmfclves -, or however, that 
 your Mafter and Judge may not he afiamedcf 
 you^ at" the great Day, but pronounce over 
 each of you, IP^ell dotiCy good and faithful Ser^ 
 ^antj enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord"^. 
 
 * 2 Cor. xi. 1 2. « Tit. ii. 8. i Pet. iii. i6. ■* Mirl^ 
 viji. 38. Lukcix. 26. F iVia;:h. xxv. 21. 
 
 O R A 1M O
 
 O R A T I O 
 
 quam coram 
 
 S Y N O D 
 
 PROVINCIiE CANTUARIENSIS 
 Anno 1 761 convocat^ 
 
 habendam fcrlpferat, 
 fed morbo prsepeditus non habui,t, 
 
 ARGHIEPISCOPUS,
 
 SAtisfeciftls egregie, Fratres, noftrae om- 
 nium expefkatloni, Prolocutore eleifto, 
 quern naturae dotibus cumulatum, fideChrif- 
 tiana penitus imbutum, humanitate politum, 
 cruditione excultum, audtoritate gravem no- 
 vimus : atque adeo dignlffimum, qui a viro 
 laudato iis ornaretur praeconijs, quae in 
 utrumque conveniunt. Conceflb igitur 
 vobis libenter, quern petitis, Referendario, 
 intendamus jam communiter animos in ea, 
 quae hodiernas celebritatis ratio poftulat. Et 
 haec quidem, licet minime idoneus, tamen 
 cum id fit officii mei, conabor exponere^ 
 oratione ufus Latina, (fic enim eft in more 
 pofitum, nequid, puto, intelligant inepti 
 auditores) nulla autem adhibita dicendi 
 clegantia ; quam fi fedlarer tandem poft 
 quadraginta ferme annorum defuetudinem, 
 omnino non afl'equerer; fed familiari admo- 
 dum ac tenui fermone ; Deum orans ut quod 
 
 c pedore
 
 350 Oratio Synodalis. * 
 
 e pedore meo proveniet in veftra defcen- 
 dat, etfrudumferat. Ncque enim plaufumji 
 'ne veftrum quidem, eapto ; de hoc unice 
 follicitus, ut aliquidjfi polTum, proferam, quo 
 fapientiores et meliores utrinque evadamus, 
 ct fervi fideles utilefque domini noflri Jefu 
 Chrifti inveniamur in fupremo Wlo die. 
 
 ConvenimuSj PatresFratrefquej in id parati^ 
 utopem fer.mus verasreligioni, bonifque mo- 
 hbus, modo quidpiam ejufmodi nobis de- 
 mandetur. Quod cum jam diu non fit fac- 
 tum, rogitant homines procacioris ingenii, 
 quorfum hue ridenda foltnnitate, fic enim 
 interpretantur, congregamur, quibus nihilne- 
 gotii datum eft, nee etic^m dabitur. Sinite 
 quaefo, ut huic pctulantiae, nimium graf- 
 lanti, pauca prius repoaam, quam ad aha 
 progrediar. 
 
 Illudne ergo fpernendum exiftimant, quod 
 hsec facra Sy nodus eodem antiquiflimo jure 
 conftituta eft, quo comlda procerum & 
 eorum qui plebis viccm gerunti quodque 
 optimi Principis juffa acciti comparemus t 
 Reverebuntur, qui reda fapiunt, utramque 
 partem, tarn ectlefiafticamquam civilem, rei- 
 publican Britannicse, nee vel unum lapidem, 
 
 praefertim
 
 Oratio Sykodalis. 351 
 
 praefertim qui fundamenta contingat, ex vc- 
 nerando jedificio dimotum cuplent, ne totius 
 molis, ut fuperiore fasculo, ruina confequa- 
 tur. Multa fecit hie ccEtus in redintegranda 
 puriori fide cultuque, reipublic^ cumprimis 
 utilia : hoc folo meritus, ut Temper in pof- 
 terum honorifice convocarelur. Qua3 porro 
 fit fadurus, vel nunc vel pofthac, quandocun- 
 que concefla fuerit aliquid agendi facultas, 
 in pejus prasjudicari non debet: neque pau- 
 lo modeftiores negaturos putem, quin ab 
 CO non pauca in commune bonum fieri pof- 
 fent, et a nobis fierent lubenter. Quid quod 
 & interim orientur ab hoc confeflu commoda 
 non mediocria ? Videbunt cives noftri in eum 
 intuentes, quinamfimus,quieccleficE Anglica- 
 na:?, Epifcopi, Decani, Archidiaconi, prsfide- 
 mus J qualefque fibi delegerit Procuratores Cle- 
 rus parochialis : unde fore confidimus, ut nihil 
 fibi a nobis extimefcendum efi!e autument, fed 
 omnia quie bona funt fperanda. Congregati 
 preces coram Deo fudimus concorditer : quas 
 quin ille, promifii memor, clementer acce- 
 pcrit, nefas efi: dubitare. Hortationi inter- 
 fuiftis, pietate pariter ac prudentia fumma 
 refertJE, quse ctfi multorum aures recitata 
 
 practervolaverit.
 
 2S2 Oratio Synodalis. 
 
 piJEtervolaverit, omnium animoslefla inflam- 
 mabit. Confilia etiam faluberima praefentes 
 invicem pro re naia communicabimus. Li- 
 cebit denique Regem uno ore fuppllciter com- 
 pellare; noflram in ilium fidem & obfer- 
 vantiam, in religionem, virtutem, legitimam 
 libertatem, cum civilem turn ecclefiafticam, 
 fludium teftari; eoque efiicere, ut etlamfi 
 natura atque inilitutione nunquam non fuerit 
 pricconibus veritatis propitius, fiat tamen in- 
 dies benignior, & fpretis male feriatorum ho- 
 minum cavillationibus, quicquid vel fadu vel 
 creditu indignum eft, cohibeat, quantum 
 falva unicuique confcientiac piasrogatlva po- 
 teO: ; quceciinque autem funt vcray qucecimque 
 pudica^jujia, fciiiBa^ amabilia, boned, formes^ y 
 non folum, ut femper, exempio, fed monitis 
 privatim, edidis publice, animofe tueatur. 
 
 Hasc nihil elTe, nemo dixerit : fatis non 
 t^c^ ultro fateor. Difquiramus igitur, unde 
 quod deeft poflit accedere. 
 
 Clamabunt extempio fervidiores, argu- 
 mentis, obteftationibus, amicorum depreca- 
 tione, purpuratorum gratia, omni machina 
 
 » Phil. iv. 8. 
 
 contendendum.
 
 Oratio Svnodalis. 353 
 
 contendendum, ut qurecunque jura Synodis 
 prioribus fuerunt attributa, iildem arnietur 
 et haec, regio mandate : refufcitandam demum 
 ejus ope collapfani & emortuam veierls 
 EcclefijE difciplinam, atque excrcendam ftre- 
 nue; noflra enim nos jam pridem eviluific 
 inertia. Et hi quidem pkrumqiie religiofi 
 funt viri, multaque ledione exercitati. Sed 
 parum vident, quid ferant tempora, quove 
 loco fimus. 
 
 Primum adverfarios habemus cmnes, non 
 modo qui Deum efTe apertc negant, quoa 
 omni tempore fuiiTe paucos arbitror, fed eos 
 etiam qui, ut ifte olim, oratione 7'eiinquunf, 
 re iollunt : & Tub recenti latitantes Deiftarum 
 nomine, fi verum eloqui oportet, Aiheifunt. 
 Nequeenini numen illud fuum bonos remu- 
 nerari, neque improbos punire credunt: unde 
 nullius fcret momenii, exifieret necne. 
 Proinde conflant in eo fibi quod nullum ei 
 honorem, vel una vel Icorfim, quantum ego 
 quidem inaudiverim, exhibeant^ 5c natura;, 
 quas vocant, leges iis limitibus quifquc cir- 
 cumfcribat, qui lubidini i'ux optime con- 
 gruant; eaque forte mutata, confcrtim 
 aliud fibi juris naturalis corpus effingant, vel 
 exceptiones quafdam futiles in fui gratia m 
 3 Z excogit€nt,
 
 354 Oratio Synodalis. 
 
 excogitent, ut permilTutn videatur quicquid 
 arridet. Licentiam interim, quam fibi infi- 
 nitam afTerunt, adeo gravate cum piis com- 
 municant, ut a cultu divino quoflibet obvios 
 fanriis &convitiis arceant, fuos vero nonnun- 
 quam interdidionibus minifque; egregii fci- 
 lic.et, immo vero, fi creditis, unici, libertatis 
 vindices. 
 
 Cum his fere fe conjungunt, neque multo 
 funt nobis squiores, qui do(5trinam Chrif- 
 tianam profitentur quidem, fed parvi pen- 
 dunt, aut erroribus contaminant: item qui 
 dignitati noftrs invident, aut polTeirionibus 
 inhiant. Quot autem univerfi fint, quan- 
 tumque confociati valeant, animus dicere 
 horrefcit. 
 
 Jam porro, ut de Pontificlis taceam, qui 
 oGCultis licet nunc dierum odiis, immortali- 
 bus tamen, diligenter fibi vires in idoneum 
 tempus comparanti inter ipfos Reformatos, 
 quid de Diffentientium, uti vocitantur, Fra- 
 trum afredu ftatuemus? Hos quidem fpes 
 erat in matris antiquae gremium fe prope- 
 diem recepturos ; utpote tandem Epifcopa- 
 tum & Liturgiam praefcriptam vel probantes, 
 vol ferri polTe confitentes, nee amplius inno- 
 cuis caeremoniis, tanquam larvis, exterritos. 
 
 Contn
 
 . Oratio Synodalis 355 
 
 Centra vero nupcr illorum plurcs, partlm 
 opinioncs pravas de variis Fidei Capitibus ar- 
 ripuerunt, partini hoc nobis objiciunt, quod 
 quae legibus ciyilibus fundatur Ecclelia, eo 
 ipfo defilt Chrifto rite lubefTe. Unde cum 
 prius videri poteramus in mutuos ruituri 
 amplexus, nunc ex impiovifo refiliunt, diffi- 
 dentque longiffime : nee raro amicitias cum 
 apertis Chriftiani nominis hoftibus ftudiofe 
 colunt, dum nos afperrime exagitant. 
 
 Hi igitur omnes, quos had:enus memo- 
 ravi, ftadm ut aliquid aggredi coepimus, 
 cun6taclamoribus opplcbunt, aliud Synoduni 
 prae fe ferre, aliud meditari diditabunt, 
 affedatas tyrannidis dicam fcribent, patulis 
 multorum auribus, quas fibi imaginantur, 
 facile infundent; at que etiam qus ipfi non 
 credunt, aliis perfuadebunt. Etcnim funt 
 mire propenfi homines, ali(iquin baud mali» 
 ad fufpiciones adverfum nos fovend.as : quas 
 cum antehac (nam fatendum eft,) aliquate- 
 nus juftse fuerint, nimium tenaci recondun- 
 tur ufque memoria, nee abfque diuturno 
 labore eximentur, 
 
 Verum obfepta eft ct aliis obftaeulls via. 
 Non adeo multa fane, quod mihi quidem 
 
 Z 2 conftat,
 
 356 Oratio Synodalis 
 
 conftat, prompta habemus, quae in Synodo 
 proponantur : eaque brevi fpatio poflemus ad 
 exitum perducere. Sed cam primum rumor 
 percrebuerit ad negotia tradlanda nos accingi, 
 plurimas illico plurimi molitiones inftituent, 
 fiium quifque commentum invitis ingerens; 
 mille opinionum obtrudentur monftra, mille 
 fpcciofaj, aut ne fpeciofs quidem, rerum no- 
 vandarum formulas, quasdam a malevolis, 
 quaidam ab indodtis aut rudibus, quaedam 
 etiam a cordatioribus ipfis : et quod hie ne- 
 cefTarium, ille exitabile efle pronunciabit. 
 Haec omnia fi rejicimus oblata, fuperbum 
 videbitur; fi fumimus dijudicaada, in infi- 
 nitum res abibit: quoquo nos vertamus, 
 gravem ofFenlionem concitabimus; nee tan- 
 dem fortalTe quidquam decernere, atit fi de- 
 cernimus obtinere ut ratum fit, valebimus. 
 Non fum nefcius morem antiquitus fuilTe 
 fententiarum varietates Synodorum decretis 
 reprimere : fed cum Synodi, fed cum Clerici 
 feparatim, pondus haberent, quo nunc plane 
 carent. Nam hodie quidem plurimis ludus 
 cfl, immo etiam honori fibi ducant, nos pe- 
 tulanter fruftrari, quanquam nee oderint, 
 ncc metuant : quod longe acrius aggredien- 
 
 7 ^"^
 
 Oratio Synodalis. 357 
 
 tur, cum intermiffa din confilla renovari in- 
 tellexerint. 
 
 Dicet quis forfan, Regem falutls publicai 
 & fidei Chriftiana2 {ludiofiflimum, fi minus 
 ultro, faltem admonitum, certe ornaturum 
 nos rerum conftituendarum poteftate, & ad- 
 verfus improborum machinationes in tuto 
 collocaturum. Et quidem talem ovanti pa- 
 trijE divinitus contigifTe ex imo pecftore vobis 
 gratulor ; Deumque vcneror ut pofTit, quod 
 velle fcio, in Religionis amorem fuos accen- 
 dere, & Ordini noflro debitum honorem con- 
 ciliare. Sed nee poteft omnia, nee inoppor- 
 tune tempore quidpiam adorietur, nee iis 
 inconfultis, quorum fpedta fide & fapientia 
 merito nitltur. Jam hi, bene quidem nobis 
 voluntj utnemo poiTit melius: fed rerum fua- 
 rum, hac prsfertim tempeftate, fatagunt; & 
 "inde noftris (nam quid apud vos parcam pro- 
 loqui?) aliquanto minus dedunt fe, quam 
 optandum ellet. Metuunt nempe, ne fi res 
 beUicas ecclefiaftlcis cumulent, obruantur 
 negotiorum multitudine. Metuunt etiam, 
 ne quid a nobis, ne quid faltem ab aliis, 
 turbetur. Jufto timidiores, vel fane fegni- 
 orcs, forfan putabitis, qui talia caufentur. 
 
 Z 3 Nee
 
 355 Oratio Syi^odalis. 
 
 Nee inteicedo. Habent tamen ilia fpeciem 
 aHquam, qua li capiantur ifll, non eft nimis 
 indignandum. Et jium folenne illud fuum 
 identidem occentant, quieta non movenda, 
 mirum ni affentiatur princeps juvenis, magis 
 aliquando fibi noblfque fifurus. 
 
 Quill fingamus conceiTam, qu22 expetitur, 
 
 facultatem. Si pauca tantum, eaque leviora 
 
 comple(flerctur, multi nos magno conatu 
 
 nihil agere dicerent : et cum vel minimis 
 
 aliquod tempus dandum fit, noftrum non 
 
 exiguus numerus domum pcrtsli diliberen- 
 
 tur, relifta Synodo infrequente & inhonorata. 
 
 Quod fi multa & gravia demandarentur, alii 
 
 nihil reilare integrum clamitarent; 6c pofTet 
 
 evenire, ut in partes ipfi diftraheremur. 
 
 Spero equidem, & amplam fpei materiam 
 
 praebet afpe(ftus vefter, fic nos afFedos efle, 
 
 ut ardentiores lenioribus, expertis rerum in- 
 
 exptrd, fe vilient fubmittere, nemo temere 
 
 aut fecrfim quidquam inceptare, nemo per- 
 
 tinaciter urgere pcriculofa vel fufpeda. Sed 
 
 nefcio an haec omnia fpondere quis aufit: 
 
 quas tamen ii minus praeftabimus, quando- 
 
 cunque arcefTemur in commune confulturi, 
 
 opinionum difcrepantitim conflidu incen- 
 
 dentur
 
 Oratio Synodalis. , 359. 
 
 dentur ircc, fcindemur in ftudia cont ra, 
 lateque a nobis manabunt in publicunii dif- 
 cordias, Hujufmodi multa in civilibus 
 comitiis impune fiunt : in noflris fieb.mt 
 olim : nunc nemo ferret. Undique incurfa- 
 rent, undique impeterent nos: nee mora, pro 
 imperlo edicerent, qui poiTunt, finem hifce 
 diflidiis adutum quoquo modo effc impo- 
 nendum. Abrumpenda efTet repente tela 
 exorfa: conquererentur bonorum non pauci 
 noftra culpa nihil fucccffifle, led omnia de- 
 teriora fadla; & falfe deriderent nos quot- 
 quot funt alieni, vel a Chriftiana fide, vel 
 ab hierarchia Anglicana. Quinetlam fi nulls 
 lites orirentur, eo certlus malignitatem 6c 
 livorem quorundam exflimularemus. Nam 
 qui maxime difTenfionum nos accufant, mi- 
 nime eadem fentire, & bene rem gerere cu- 
 piunt. 
 
 His de caufis, tametfi prorfus arbltril noflri 
 eflet ad negotia capeilcnda flatim convolare, 
 quid prudentiores exiftimarent, baud dixe- 
 rim: ego ampliandum cenferem. 
 
 Quid ergo? Jubeone vos de Synodo a(5tu- 
 ofa, deque EccleliiE ftatu per earn emen- 
 dando, defperare? Abfit vero. Semper eni- 
 
 Z 4 tendum
 
 360 Oratio Symodalis. 
 
 tendum eft, ut antiqui regiminis non modq 
 retineamus formam, fed et vim inftaiiremus, 
 quatenus vei divino vel humano jure fulcitur. 
 Atque interim manca quodammodo etmutila 
 erit TToKiTeia noftra. Hoc tantum caveri ve- 
 iim, ne, quod fieri, vel tuto fieri, nequit, 
 exoptemusj ne audacibus & calidis inceptis 
 faveamus; ne laqueis implicemur, unde ex- 
 pedire nos erit difficile. Hoc tantum com- 
 moneo, lentis paflibus efle procedendum, 
 cuncftacircumrpedanda, impedimenta fedulo 
 amolienda, & fubfternenda, diligenter medi- 
 tata; ftrudturs firma fundamenta. Non eft 
 igitur oratio mea procraftrinantis, eludendi 
 caufa, fed in juftum tempus differentis. Erit 
 etiam, bona cum venia veftra, praecipientis 
 quo padto maturabitur quod avemus. 
 
 Pcrmagni ad hoc propofitum intereft, ut 
 fimus ipfi, quofquc pafcimus greges efficia- 
 mus, quantum res patitur, unanimes, potifli- 
 mum in fide falutari. Sunt enim qui fe 
 noftros vocant, nihilo tamen fecius multa 
 quae docemus improbant; fpeciatim, qus 
 ad S. S. Trinitatem pertinent, ad Redempti- 
 qriem generis humani, ad illapfum Gratia 
 C2eleftis in mentes fidelium. Jam vero li 
 
 longius
 
 Oratio Synodalis. 361 
 
 longlus proferpferit error lententiam de his 
 receptam repudiantium; vel fi invalelcant qui 
 comminifcuntur, praeter horum perfuafio- 
 nem, bonorum operum feracem, necefla- 
 riam efle fiduciam flivoris apud Dciim, . 
 fenfibus imis infixam fuperne, qux omneni 
 dubltatlonem tollat : controverfiis affiduis 
 vexablmur ; ad Synodos cum efFedu cele- 
 brandas, nofz in melius, ut Apoftoli verbis 
 utar, fed in deferius conveniemus ^. Nee fo- 
 lum conquafTabitur, tandemque diflblvetur 
 hujus EcclefisE pulcherrima compagcsj quin 
 ctiam corrumpetur integritas vitalis dodrinae, 
 fiquidem ego, diu perpenfis 6c fubdudis, an- 
 cipiti quondam animo, rationibus, verum 
 difcernere valeo. 
 
 Sunt autem porro, qui fe minime de Fide 
 a nobis dilTentire, aut affirmant, aut videri 
 volunt, fed aequum cenfent omnibus placita 
 qucecunque propugnantibus ad menfam eu- 
 charifticam, atque adeo ad facros ordines, 
 aditum patcre, modo in Chriftum fe credere 
 profitcantur. Sed hoc profefli lunt olim 
 Hccrcticorumpeftilentiffimi: nedicam hodie 
 quadantenus profiteri Mohammedanos. Ad- 
 
 * 1 Cor. xi. 17. 
 
 mittantur
 
 362 ^Oratio Synodalis. 
 
 mittantur ergo, alunt, ii foli, qui facras forip- 
 turas venerantur, ejufquc verbis animorum 
 fenfa declararefuiit parati. Quidvero? Pon- 
 tificii, Tremulorum leda, innumerarum in- 
 eptiarum fautcres, nonne in id funt parati ? 
 Hofne ergo omnes honore fungendi apud 
 nos Sacerdotii dignanturr Sin minus; cur 
 alios, pari ratione repellendos ? 
 
 Verum hoc faltem Candidatis urgent con- 
 cedendum, ut fuis, non alienis verbis fatif- 
 faciant Ecclefise Redoribus : quod et anti- 
 quitus ufu veniiTe monent. Atque ita fepe 
 diuque fadlum nonnegamus; fed idcirco, 6c 
 merito quidern, fieri defiifle credimus, quod 
 fic Epifcoporum quifque, vel oratione fub- 
 dola, cui difcuticndas fpatium non elTet, facile 
 falli potuerit, vel pro arbitrio rede fentienti- 
 bus viam intercludere, prava fentientes ad- 
 mittere: quodque hinc neceffe fuerit fre- 
 quenter evenire, ut eundem hie rcfpueret, 
 ille amplederetur, et difceptandis litibus 
 inde oriundis una Synodus baud fuffice- 
 ret. 
 
 Efto igitur, idoneos Articulos Fidei in 
 auxilium vocandos : at certe noftros reco- 
 quendos, 6c incudi redclendos, non pauci 
 
 contendent.
 
 Oratio Synodalis. 363 
 
 contcndent. NecdiffitcmurpotuifTc quasdam 
 aptius enunciari, et adverlus tani argutias 
 quam hallucinationes melius muniri. Sed 
 prasclare, ut illis temporibu?, inftrudta &c 
 compofita funt omnia : cgentque hodie 
 tantum explicatlone commoda : non vafram 
 & veteratoriam Inteiligo, fed artis gramma- 
 ticas criticacque regulis confonam. Nee leve 
 ell periculum, ne qui, integris manentibus 
 Articulis, nos ab eorum vera mente defcivifle 
 jactitant, inpyo^U^ crimen atrociori longe 
 clamore, triftiorique eventu impingant, fi 
 medicas iis manus, tanquam malefanis, adhi- 
 beamus. 
 
 Et \y£C eadem velim iibi in memoriam 
 revocent, qui Liturgiam item recenferi re- 
 formarique flagitant. Ornatior quidem, ac- 
 curatlor, plenior, brevior, et poteft ea fieri & 
 debet : fed modefla tradatione, fed tranquillis 
 hominum animis ; non temerariis, qualia vi- 
 dimus & videmnSj aufis, non inter media 
 diflidiii, mutuafque fufpiciones. 
 
 Verum ut de his ftatuatur, novam faltem 
 Scripturae verfionem defiderari, plurimis vi- 
 detur: nempe ut populus Chriilianus ea luce 
 fruatur, quasfavente Numineoraculis divinis 
 
 per
 
 364 Oratio Synodalis. 
 
 per continuas virorum dodorum vigilias 
 aiTuliit, hifce 150 annis proxime elapfis, ante 
 quos confecta eft Anglica Vulgata. Et quis 
 refragetur honeftiffimas petition!? Sed ad hoc 
 opus poft conquiHtum undiqire omnigens 
 eruditionis apparatum demum accedendum 
 tCt; atque in eo veriandum fumma religione, 
 cautela, induftria, cura porro inter multos 
 amiciffime confpirantes, per longum ternpus, 
 difpehita. Prodeunt quotidie certatlm in- 
 terpretes : fed fere proletarii, vel quorum fu- 
 pervacanea diligentia incertiores multo fumus 
 quam dudum. Revivifcit lingus fandae 
 perquam neceffaria cognitio : fed juftas vires 
 iiondum acquKivit, & fomniis fuis fe oblec- 
 tant quidam ejus cultores. Expedanduni 
 idco, fi aliquid opera dignum facere volu- 
 mus, donee hi aut refipuerint, aut erroris 
 manifefti fmt, donee dcferbuerit novorum 
 fenfuum eruendorum aeftus, & nupera hjec 
 pene dixeram rabies emendandi, qua impel- 
 luntur ut mcndis imprudenter referciant 
 .codicem facrum homines probi, nee ineru- 
 diti ; donee denique exitum aliquem habeat 
 laudandum apprime inftitutum conferondi 
 inter fe, & cum primsvis interpretation!- 
 
 bus,
 
 Oratio Synodalis. 365 
 
 bus, Veteris Teflamenti librcs Hebraice 
 fcriptos. 
 
 Ego fane in omnibus, de qulbus dixi, 
 
 labores vel maximos, quantum patitur ingra- 
 
 vefcens & jam fere p;a:ceps setas, proEccleHs 
 
 bono, non detre6lem, ncc cffenfioncs refor- 
 
 iTiidem. Scd minime velim eorum fufcioien- 
 
 dorum audor efle, unde magis glifcant 
 
 nimiae jampridem rixa;. Nam his vigeniibus 
 
 protelabitur ufque Synodi conventus etlicax, 
 
 ne nobis permifli bella inteflina fulcitemus, 
 
 publicis commodis nocitura. Quod fi femcl 
 
 fatis Concordes videamur, minuetur iile, qui 
 
 'pcnitus, quanquam injuria, in virorum lum- 
 
 morum animis infedit, metus: quern et 
 
 omnino depulfum fore fperari potefl, modo 
 
 palam faciamus nos in omnes, utcunque 
 
 diverfa fentientes, benevolo animatos efle, ut 
 
 quidem fumus. Quotufquilque enim eft 
 
 noftrum, quin banc rem lie fccum reputet ? 
 
 •* Errat quifpiam ; mirum ni et ego: led 
 
 " aut vocabulo tantum, aut fi re, innoxie. 
 
 ** Errat vehementer: led non continuo eft 
 
 *' Hnereticus. Hacrcticus eft : fed Chriftia- 
 
 " nus tamcn. Ne Chriftianus quidem : ftd 
 
 ** Homo laltem. Homo maUis forfitan : 
 
 *' fed
 
 366 Oratio Synodalis. 
 
 " fed qui poterit in melius mutarl. Fac 
 " denique non pofTe: Deus vindicabit." 
 Nee idclrco aut flagitiis inquinati, aut fano- 
 rum verborum formulae pertlnaciter adver- 
 fantes, non funt a ccetu piorum fegregandi. 
 Sed in mitiorem partem, turn didis, turn 
 fadis, eft propendendum : nee eadem nobis 
 homuncionibus, quae Apoftolis falli nefciis 
 fuit, au<ftoritas arroganda eft. Etenim longc 
 tutlus erit finere ut zlzania tantifper cum 
 tritico fticcrefcant, quam eos ejicere, qiios 
 tandem Judex communis, magno cum noftro 
 dedecore, poftliminio reftituet. Et qui fe- 
 verius agi poftulant, imbecillitatis fus funt 
 immemores: nee vident quod eft apertifli- 
 mum, hac via periculofe concuftlim, forian 
 etiam everfum, iri, quam ftabilitum eunt 
 Ecclefiam. 
 
 Nee tamen, ut gaudeamus tranquillitate, 
 rerum theologicarum ftudia funt remittenda: 
 fed excitanda ex diuturno quo languent 
 torpoie. Non eft hsee ^tas noftra legendis, 
 prsefertim antlquioribus, aut gravioris argu- 
 menti, libris, nedum attentae cogitationi, 
 vel fcriptioni operofae, fatis dedita. Olim 
 tra(5latibus omnium generum, dodtrina, 
 
 judicio.
 
 OraTio Svnodalis. 367 
 
 judlcio, acumine confpicuis, inclarulnius: 
 nunc non e«aruit quidem, fed arefcit, uber- 
 rimus ille laudum fons. Olim contra 
 Infideles, Pontificios, oppugnatores quof- 
 cunque, fumma cam gloria militavimus: 
 quorum venenatis voluminibus, domi forif- 
 que aflatim editis, nunc parum aut nihil 
 reponimus: unde illis famce celebritas, 6c 
 difcipulorum multitudo; nobis opprobium. 
 Nee utique exiftimabitur illos, quorum 
 pauci quidquam feparatim prseftant, multum 
 prsefiituros in Synodum convocatos. Video 
 quid poflit obtendi: & fponte fateor, pro- 
 fpiciendum efle, nam concreditum eft, nobis 
 qui dicimur Beneficiorum Patroni, ne 
 erudita3 diligentias pncmia defint. Dandum 
 fane aliquid hac in re, ut in omnibus, 
 cognatiuni, honeflis minifleriis, precibus 
 amicorum, potentiorum commendationi- 
 bus, julTa verius vocaverim: fed nuliatenus 
 tantum, ut vel mali, vel plane inhabiles, 
 adnfiittanur ad facia munia, vel negledi 
 jaceant boni & litterati. Q'jod utinam 
 plures Cc exhiberent, qui fludiis redte pofitis, 
 et eorum fru^libus in lucem prolatis, omneni 
 nobis exculdtlonft-iiTi pr^Eripcrent, fi quando 
 7 in
 
 368 OrATIO SViNODALIS. 
 
 in minus merentes largius squo iimus bcne- 
 fici. 
 
 Quanto autem quis eft vel doflrina orna- 
 tior, vel conditione fuperior, tanto opor- 
 tebit, hoc potiffimum faeculo, ut fe gerat 
 fubmifiius. Officii paftoralis dignitatem, 
 in qua conftituti fumus, affidue fufpicere & 
 tueri debemus: verum fi amplilicare ag- 
 gredimur infcite, imminuemus non medio- 
 criter. Neque ecclefiaftic.?, neque civilia, 
 quibus potimur, abjudicare jura, aut licet 
 aut expedit : nam qui illis nofmet ultro 
 cxuentes coUaudare nos non definent, exutos 
 ridebunt. Sed d juftam au61oritatem con- 
 fcrvare volumus, ante omnia cavendum eft, 
 ne immodicam vindicemus. Alioquin magis 
 atque magis in auguftum coercebimur : et 
 demum exilis ilia, quae reftat, umbra regi- 
 minis eripietur, fumma cum plurimorum 
 afpernatione. 
 
 Nee indecore appetentes erimus (modo 
 fapere, et bene audire, atque adhiberi feriis 
 negotiis cordi eft) aut dulcis luccili, aut 
 gradus cujuflibet altioris. Non funt, ex- 
 perto credite, non funt tanti vel honores vel 
 reditus amollffimi Ecclefiafticis deftinati, 
 
 ut
 
 Oratio Svnodalis. 369 
 
 ut a quopiam enixe cupiantur. Multum 
 habent follicitudlnis, non parum forfan invi- 
 dias; vere delcdationis nihil, nifi quoties 
 occurrit, occurrlt autem raro infignis, bene- 
 faciendi occafio. 
 
 Voluptates, etlam honeftiores, parcc ufur- 
 pare, nee a vltuperandis tantummodo, fed 
 a contemnendis vel parvi faclendis, abftinerc 
 fe, ad exiftimationem Clericorum Interefl 
 quam maxime. Si quos e nobis videant 
 Laid, potionum & ciborum lautitlls indul- 
 gentes, corporis cultui 6c vcftium elegantiae 
 praster modum addic^os, in flicetias & rifum 
 perpetuo folutos, muliercularum chartis lu- 
 Jforiis continenter inhiantium circulis & fef- 
 flunculis permixtos, vel inter quafcunque 
 nugas inerti otio fugaces horas difperdentes, 
 iiunquamfeperfuaderifinent, utexfrequentif- 
 fimo talium concilio boni quidpiam proficlfci 
 poffe fperent: quales tamen {i aliquot nof- 
 trum comperiant, ciiteros ejufdem cffc farlnse 
 libenter fibl fingent. 
 
 Sed mlnime fatis erit vltam ao^ere ca3tera 
 inculpatam, nifi in docendo quoque Evan- 
 gelio, quod munus efl: noftrum, parvi 6c 
 ^nijpli gnaviter elaboremus. Quo effra^natius 
 
 A a luxuriantur
 
 370 Oratio Synodalis. 
 
 luxurlantur errores & vitia, quo laxior eft 
 Ecclefise difcipllna, quo lenlor adminlftratio 
 Reipubllcas, eo diligentiorem adhiberi oportet 
 in fide & praeceptis Chriftianis inftitutio- 
 nem : & incaffum ad induilriam hortabimur 
 Sacerdotes inferioris ordinis, nifi exemplo 
 prseamus. Potulmus non ita pridem 
 impetrare, ut delinquentes in bonos mores 
 Magiftratui posnas darent; ut libri impii & 
 impudici e medio toUerentur: nunc illud 
 aegre conceditur; hoc fciens loquor, neu- 
 tiquam. Eft ideo vel Tola vi argumentorum, 
 piffifertim in facris Concionibus, obfiften- 
 cum adverfariis, vel cedendum loco. Et 
 cum praeter adverfarios veteres, novi & do- 
 jneftici nuper ex ipfo Academiarum noftra- 
 tium finu profiluerint, qui fe folos asternas 
 falutis tramitem commonftrare, nos in per- 
 niclem caicorum more evagari, paflim pre- 
 dicant, curatiffime difpiciendum eft, ut redo 
 curfu veritatis viam infiftamus; horum nee 
 aftutiis iiledi, nee timore perculfi, nee odiQ 
 flagrantes: cavendum, ne, fi illi fermoncs 
 fuos ad vulgi captum nimis accommodant, 
 ac demittunt, nos hoc nimis dedignemurji 
 «e, fi illi funt jufto vehementiores, nos 
 
 frigid i
 
 Oratio Synodalis. 371 
 
 frigidi videamur, & affe6luum pioruni ex- 
 pertesj ne fi illi efficaclam Fidei immode- 
 rate cum maximo fidclium pcriculo extol - 
 lunt, nos non minori ingrate earn deprima- 
 mus & extcnuemus; ne fi illi inania vifa & 
 phantafmata pro certis pignoribus Remifli- 
 onis Peccatorum habent, nos in genuinum 
 Spiritus Sandi teftimonium fimus impru- 
 denter contumeliod. 
 
 Egone igitur Clerum Anglicanurn officii 
 vel male intelledti, vel male pra^ftiti, tede 
 infmiLilo? Deus meliora. Qui potcft ut 
 vituperem quos diligo 6c revereorj quorum 
 plurimorum, cum vita fundorum tum fu- 
 perftitum, amicitia diu gavifus fum ; 6c 
 exempla mibi quotidie ob cculos pono, ut 
 ad rede vivendum docendumque me erigam 
 6c confirmem ? Sed vos auditoribus veftrls, 
 etiamfi fumma laude dignis, monitiones 
 tamen follicite ingeritis. Nam vel fapientes 
 Virgines dormitaffe legimus': thefauriim 
 evangelicum in z'ajis Jidlillbus habemus^ : Sc 
 difficile eft a moribus hodicrnis aliquid 
 contagionis 5c labis non trahere. Ignofcat 
 Pater mifcricors, quod Parceciis primo, de- 
 
 « Matth. XXV. 5. •* 2 Cor. iv. ^i 
 
 Aa 2 indc
 
 372 Oratio Synodalis. 
 
 inde Dicecefibus mihi ordine commlffis, 
 minus intente & peilte, quam oportuerat, 
 invigilaverim ! Ignofcat pariter, fi quid 
 fimile cuiquaui veil:rum contigerit! Illud 
 autem ftatuamus univeifi, audo follicite 
 fludio, compenfare pro virili (nunquam 
 enimfiet fatis,) quicquid peccavimus: idque 
 eo certe potilTimum, ut nos Deo coin- 
 mendemus; partim vero etiain, lU homi- 
 nibus. 
 
 Neque enim ferent in Clericis ilia, quo- 
 rum facile {ibi invicem dant veniam. Quod 
 fi nobis ^ doolrincSi ex Apoftoli praecepto, 
 attendamui^ ', nequit fieri, quin gradatiin in- 
 altum recrefcat exiftimatio noilraj quin per- 
 fpiciant quotidie clarius quibus rerum ha- 
 benae funt traditse, quot quantifque in rebus 
 opera noftra uti pofTunt; quin tandem non 
 modo concedant, verum 6c Reipublics caufa 
 invitent rogentque, ut quce Ecclefiae defunt 
 communiconfiliofuppleamus. Longaquldem 
 eft hsBc via atque ardua: fed eft ea quae vo- 
 lumus, aut velle debemus, unica ; & quas for- 
 tafleindicabuntalii compendarias, in falebro- 
 fos ducunt & praecipites locos. His artibus flo- 
 
 « I Tim. iv. i6, 
 
 ruerunt 
 
 .->;«
 
 Oratio Synodalis. 373 
 
 ruerunt primorum faeculorum DoOores: his 
 iifdem nobis fidendum eft : aliarumope noa 
 dabitur in honore ti^Q : vel fi maxime dare- 
 tur, aliaruin ope nee inferviremns hominum 
 utilitati, nee acternum vitam eonfequeremur. 
 Tarde & cunduanter eredo, quicquid faci- 
 emus, de nobis honorifice plerique fentient. 
 IraeundjE tamen querimonias multum aberit 
 ut profieiant -, quorundam animos malevolo 
 gaudio perfundent ; alios movebunt, ut quos 
 contemnunt, etiam oderint, Aceufati vifeif- 
 fim aecufabunt : 8c coram iniquis judicibus 
 caufa nobis erit dieenda. Nee fane pro- 
 derit vehemens negotiorum civilium tradtan- 
 doium ftudium confpiciendum dare. Fer- 
 ventiorem enim hancce cupiditatem, ad pri- 
 vata fpedare emolumerva, non ad communia, 
 perhibebunt fufpicaces & maligni, vulgus 
 credst. Qnae noOra funt ergo rite peragentes, 
 even turn, quern datarus eft Deus, tranquille 
 expedemus. Viros bones eolamus, quam- 
 vis niinime noblfeum in omnibus confenti- 
 ant : impiis nc Tocii quidem fimus, nedum 
 adulatores j nee tamen temere offenfiones 
 demus, kd neecftariam reprehenfionum in 
 jucunditatem verborum humanitate mitigc-, 
 
 mus:
 
 374 Oratio Synodalis. 
 
 nius : modicum allis non Inviti permittamuS 
 illorum ufum, licita modo fint, quae ipfi non 
 
 attingimus : ab omni concertatione longif- 
 fime abhorreamus : injurias 6r opprobia 
 toleranter patiamur : favore, ex quacunque 
 demum parte afFulferit, utamur modefte. 
 Hoc modo nee novas conti-ahemus inimi- 
 citias, & majorum delida aut non luemus 
 amplius, aut luemus immeriti. 
 
 In utramque idcirco partem parati fimus. 
 Rerun:! facrarum, &, quotquot aliquo vin- 
 culo cum his connexs funt, civilium, fcientia 
 lie nos inftfuamus, quaii brevi efTemus de 
 quaiilionibus graviflimis deliberationes habi- 
 turi: compofiti tamen interim ad fummam 
 asqultatem & manfuetudinem, fi vel in lon- 
 giffimum diem fpes ilia prorogetur; qua fi 
 penitus fruftremur, dolebimus quidem fae- 
 culi, male & iibi confulentis, & nobis gra- 
 tiam referentis, five iniquitatem five incogi- 
 tantiam : hoc vero noftra culpa non obtigiiTe, 
 toto pedtore laetabimur ; ncc fpernendum 
 nihilominus per nos incrementum capiet res 
 Chiifliana. In Synodo fcntentiam non dice- 
 mus : fed feorfim conftanter quod verum 
 atque decens propugnabimus. Canones non 
 4 condemus :
 
 Oratio Svnodalis. 375 
 
 condcmus : fed ut omnes omnia fua ad Cano- 
 nem Sacri Fcederis exigant, tam verbis quam 
 exemplo fuadebimus. Anathematum ful- 
 minibus hetcrodoxcs non feriemus : (atquc 
 utinam ab odiofis ejufmodi 6c appellationl- 
 bus 6c inceptis temperavifTent fibi Deceflbres 
 noftri :)fed cum /?Wcy?w,DivinoPaulo edicente, 
 corripiemus eos qui refijlunty ne quando Deua 
 det illis pcenitentiam ad cognofcendam verita- 
 tcm^. In Ckricos vitiis contaminatos aut 
 vecordes non exerccbimus communiter cen- 
 furam : fed ne locum inveniant apud nos, 
 cura privata quantum licet praecavebimus. 
 Libros infames carbone baud notabimus, 
 unde avidius legerentur ; fed accurate refelle- 
 mus. Et quamvis dubio careret, indies im- 
 minutam his in oris atque tandem extinc- 
 tam, forecailellem Evangelii lucem : illachry- 
 mandum quidem effet popularibus noftris 
 mifere pereuntibus j in voluntate tamen di- 
 vina non gravatim acquiefcendum. Quid 
 enim Propheta ? In '■caciiwn laboravi^ & vane 
 fortitudinem me am confmnpfi : ergo judicium 
 meum cum Domino^ Gf opus mcum cum Deo 
 meo *. 
 
 'sTim.ii. 25. « Efai- xlix. 4. 
 
 Con-
 
 376 Oratio Synodalis.' 
 
 Condonate mihi, Patres Fratrefque, longi 
 hujus alloquii taedium j ex hac Cathedra nunc 
 primum, nunc itidem poflremum, (fie enim 
 prcefagit mens, 6c verifiniile eft) vos com- 
 pellanti. Tuque, Oiunipotem ^ fempiterne 
 DeuSy cujus Spiritu univerfum Ecclejtct corpus 
 regitur JanBumqiie eficituf', fuppiicationes ci?' 
 p'eces ncjirasy pro cujufcunque ordinis hommi- 
 bus, qui in Kcclejiam tuam cooptantur, ohlatas 
 tibi admitte -, ut qui f que ^ ficut fuae convenit va- 
 cattoni & minifierio, tibi Jincere & pie ftr- 
 'Dtaty per Dominum C^ Servatorem nojtrum 
 Jefum Chrijlum. Amen ^ . • 
 
 * Collect. 2. Parafcev. 
 
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