I Can scarce think it worth my while, or yours, (my good Brethren,) that I should now spend much time in any long general Exhortation, to your Diligent and Conscientious performing the Duties incumbent on you, as you are the Ministers of GOD, duly called according to the Will of of our Lord Christ, and the Order of this Ex­cellent Church of England.

Did I find, there were here any absolute need to use many Words, towards the ex­citing your Care in the several Administra­tions [Page 4] of your Holy Calling; yet, I am per­suaded, I my self might well spare my own Labour, and your Patience, on this Subject; since all that kind of wholesome Advice has been already so very sufficiently, and so much better given you, in Arguments deduced out of the Holy Scriptures, and most fitly applied to this Purpose, by the venerable Compilers of our Public Liturgy, in the Forms appointed for the Ordering of Dea­cons and Priests.

There, you know, this Work has been so wisely, and so fully, long ago, done to a Bishop's hands; there all the Parts of your weighty Office are so judiciously laid before you; the high Dignity, and great Impor­tance of it, towards the Salvation of Mankind, is so substantially urg'd; the blessed Fruits, and everlasting Rewards of well-attending it, and the extreme Dangers of neglecting it, are so justly amplified; the Necessity of adorning your Doctrine by an innocent, virtuous, and pious Life of your own, towards the rendring it efficacious on the Lives of others, is so pathetically inforc'd; that, I am confi­dent, the very best Charge, a Bishop could give to his Clergy, were to recommend se­riously [Page 5] to all their Memories, as I now do most affectionately to yours, those very same Questions and Answers, those very same Pro­mises and Vows, as you ought to esteem them, where-with every one of you did most so­lemnly charge his Conscience, at the time of your Admission into Holy Orders.

I profess, I cannot, nor, I believe, can the the Wit of Man, invent any more proper Method of Instruction to Men in your Cir­cumstances, from a Man in mine, than to exhort you all to a continual Recollection of, and Meditation upon, those many and great Obligations, you then seem'd volun­tarily and cheerfully to lay on your selves.

Whence there could not but ensue (by GOD's Blessing,) a firm Resolution in your Minds to endeavour the performance of them, and a Holy Perseverance in those Endeavours, and in Conclusion, the happy Effects of all on your selves, and the Flocks committed to you: That by thus Meditating on these Things, and giving your selves wholly to them, your profiting may appear to all; and that by taking heed to your selves, and your Doctrines, and continuing in them, you may both save your selves, and those that hear you.

[Page 6]Wherefore seeing that, which else had been a Bishop's proper Business in such Meetings as this, I hope, is, or may be so easily shorten'd for me, by you your selves, by your having recourse to a Rule so well known, and so obvious to you, in a Book, which ought scarce ever to be out of your hands; I shall the rather, at this time, pur­posely omit the prescribing you many Ad­monitions, touching the matter and substance of the Duties of your Sacred Function. Instead of them, I shall only offer you some few familiar Considerations, which may serve as so many friendly and brotherly Advices, con­cerning, chiefly, the Manner and Way of per­forming some of the principal Offices of your Ministry.

And, I trust in GOD, that if these Ad­vices shall be as carefully examin'd, and, if you find them useful, as industriously obser­ved by you, as they are honestly intended by me, they may, in some sort, enable you to do laudably, and with Commendation, the same Things, which, I hope, you already do, without just Exception.

Only, in this place, let me premise once for all, that whatever Instructions I shall now [Page 7] give you, I intend them not only as Dire­ctions to you, but especially to my self. As indeed, in all Matters, that come under De­liberation, he ought to be esteem'd no good Counsellor, who is very ready and eager in giving, but averse from receiving the same Counsel, as far as it may be also proper for himself.

The first Advice I presume to set before your view, shall relate to the Manner of do­ing your part, in all the ordinary Offices of the Public Liturgy.

As to that, it is my earnest Request, that you would take very much Care, and use extraordinary Intention of Mind, to perfect your selves in a true, just, sensible, accurate becoming way of Reading, and administring them as you have occasion.

A Suggestion, which some perhaps, at first hearing, may think to be but of a slight and ordinary Concernment: Yet, if I am not much deceiv'd, it will be found of exceeding Moment and Consequence in its Practice; and of singular Usefulness towards the raising of Devotion in any Congregation piously inclined: When your weekly, or rather daily labours of this kind shall be thus performed▪ [Page 8] I mean, not with a meer formal or artificial, but with such a grave, unaffected Delivery of the Words, as (if the defect be not in our selves,) will, indeed, naturally flow from a right and serious considering of their Sense.

I pray therefore, take my Mind a-right in this particular. I do not only mean, that you should be very punctual in reading the Common Prayer Book, as the Law requires; that is, not only to do it constantly, and en­tirely in each part, without any maiming, adding to, or altering of it, that so Suppli­cations, Prayers, Intercessions, and giving of Thanks, may be made, by you, for all Men: For Kings, and for all that are in Authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable Life in all Godliness and Honesty.

If you do not so, you are liable to a Legal Punishment and Censure. But my aim now is, not meerly to prevent that, or to provide only against your breaking the Law. What I intend is something higher, and more ex­cellent; something, that you cannot be pu­nish'd for, tho' you do it not; but, if you shall do it in any reasonable Perfection, it will redound to the unspeakable Benefit of your Congregations.

[Page 9]The purpose then of this my plain Motion to you is, in short, to beseech you all to em­ploy much serious Pains, in practising the public and private Reading of all your Offi­ces, as the Use of any of them shall occur, distinctly, gravely, affectionately, fervently; so as every where to give them all that Vi­gour, Life and Spirit, whereof they are capable: Which certainly is as great as in any human Writings whatsoever; if we be not wanting to them in the Repetition.

The Truth is, whatever some may ima­gine to the contrary, such a compleat and consummate Faculty of reading the Common Prayer, Quam nequeo monstrare, & sentio tan­tum, is of so great difficulty, as well as use, that I am fully convinced, it very well de­serves to have some place among our con­stant Studies; at least in the first Initiation into our Ministry, if not throughout the whole course of it.

I could heartily wish, it were altogether needless for me to lay so much stress on this Advice as I do. Yet, I hope, I may do it without Offence; since it is not with design of censuring any particular Mens Failings or Deficiencies, but only for the public Good; [Page 10] that we may all strive to attain not only to a Mediocrity, but to an Excellency in this kind: Which, in my small Judgment, can never be done, unless we shall make this Du­ty a Business by it self, and assign it a special Place among our other Ecclesiastical Studies.

It cannot be denied, but the Church it self has provided for this with all imaginable Circumspection; having solemnly enjoin'd every Clergy-man, besides the Times of his public Ministry, to read some very conside­rable Parts of his Office, once a day, at least, to himself, except he shall be excused by in­dispensable Business.

By which wise Injunction, tho', no doubt, the Church intended primarily to produce and increase, in the Minds of all its Mini­sters, a frame of Spirit perpetually serious and devout: Yet, if that be also accompa­nied with a proportionable Regard to the Manner, as well as to the Matter of our Public Prayers, this other Advantage of well-reading, what is so often to be read, will follow of course, and by necessary Conse­quence.

It seems indeed to me, that the very way of performing all the outward Acts of Reli­gion, [Page 11] has so wonderful an Influence towards obtaining the inward Effects of it, on our Hearts and Consciences, that I cannot but think, we can never be too laborious in pre­paring and exercising our Thoughts, and even our very Voices, in private, for a pub­lic Service of so great Importance.

'Tis true, we generally value and esteem Preaching, as our great Privilege and Ho­nour. And so far we are in the right. But we are not so, if we look on the reading of Prayers only as our Task and Burthen; and, as such, shall be willing to get rid of it alto­gether, or to get thro' it in any undecent Manner, with such Heaviness or Precipitation, as, in any Affairs of worldly Interest, we would never be content with.

A preposterous Custom, which, if due Care be not taken, may be very prejudicial and mischievous to our Church, by quenching the Spirit of Devotion in our own People, and giving occasion to our Adversaries to throw Scorn and Contempt on our other­wise-incomparable Liturgy.

Consider, I pray you, How can we expect that others should revere, or esteem it accor­ding to its true worth, if we our selves will [Page 12] not keep it so much in Countenance, as to afford it a fair Reading? If we will not do it so much common Justice as to contribute, as much as lies in our Power, that it may have an impartial Hearing, equal, at least to any other Divine Ordinance? If we shall refuse to lay as much weight on those Devotions, which our whole Church has injoin'd us to pour out before the Throne of Grace, for the People, as we do on those Discourses, which we make, on our own Heads, to the People?

Wherefore, I say again, this very com­mendable Skill of devout and decent Reading the Holy Offices of the Church, is so far from being a perfunctory or superficial Work, a mean or vulgar Accomplishment, or a sub­ordinate lower Administration, only fit for a Curate; that it deserves to be placed among your Ministerial Endowments of greater Superiority and Praeeminence; as being one of the most powerful Instruments of the Holy Spirit of GOD, to raise and command Mens Hearts and Affections: of the Holy true Spirit of GOD, I say; which, tho' in our inward Ejaculations, or private Supplications towards Heaven, it often helpeth [Page 13] our Infirmities, and maketh Intercession for us with Groanings that cannot be uttered; Yet, in the public Worship, is most frequently pleased to operate by such Words, and Sounds, as are express'd with the best Ut­terance.

So that now, with a just Assurance, I may assert this to be a very proper Qualification of a Parochial Minister; that he has attain'd to an habitual Faculty of setting forth the public Prayers to all their due Advantage, by pronouncing them leasurably, fitly, warmly, decently; with such an Authority in the Speaker, as is, in some degree, suitable to the Authority of what is spoken.

Thus much I may safely say, that the Reader of the Prayers; if he does his part, in the manner I have mention'd, by such a vigorous, effectual, fervent Delivery of the Words and Conceptions, put into his Mouth by the Church it self, may give a new en­livening Breath, a new Soul, as it were, to every Prayer, every Petition in it: He may quicken and animate those Confessions, In­tercessions and Thanksgivings, which, when read coldly, and indifferently, with irreli­gious Carlesness, or ignorant Flatness, will [Page 14] seem to some to be but a dead Letter: He may make every Hymn, every Psalm, every Lesson, Epistle and Gospel, to become well nigh a new Sermon; at least he may give, to the old standing Text of the Bible, a very good clear Exposition, even by his very way of reading it to the Congregation.

This, upon Experience, you will find to be apparently true. For if, as is usually ob­served by Men of Learning, in printed Books, the very accurate and critical pointing of the Copy is one of the best kinds of good new Commentaries on any old Author; how much more, in all the Offices of De­votion, would that, which consists not only in good Pointing, and observing all due Stops, but in so much more besides, I mean a good, distinct, forcible, yet easie, and un­forced reading of every Prayer, and Portion of the Holy Scriptures; how much more would all this really serve for a good new Paraphrase and Illustration of every Sentence in them!

It is indeed almost incredible, how quite another thing the daily morning and evening Prayers will appear; what new Figures and Beauties, and hidden Treasures of sacred [Page 15] Eloquence, they will continually discover, when thus pronounc'd; how much apter they will be to kindle in us, and our Audi­tors, all manner of Heavenly Affections, of Spiritual Grief, and Contrition, of Love and Gratitude, of Faith, Hope, and Charity, and Joy in the Holy Ghost; When the Har­mony of the Tongue shall be tuned, as it were, to the Harmony of the Matter; When the Zeal of the Reader shall keep Com­pany with his Voice; and his Voice shall be adap­ted to, and varied together with every Sense and Expression; When by long Use, and Imita­tion of the best Masters, or the best we can come at, we shall know familiarly how to give every Word and Sentence its due poise; Where to lay a greater or smaller weight on every Clause, according to its natural or spiritual Force; where to be quicker or more vehement, where slower and more se­date; how to observe equally all Pauses and Distances; how to avoid Monotonies on the one hand, and immoderate Eleva­tions and Depressions on the other; Yet, where to use the same Tones, where to rise or fall in the right place: When, I say, the Reader shall be throughly expert and vers'd [Page 16] in practising these, and many more such natural Decencies of Pronouncing; tho' they may seem but light, and petty things, taken singly, and a part, yet all together, in their full united Power, they will be found to have an admirable Concurrence towards the creating, augmenting, well tempering, and well-governing of Devotion.

Had I time, it were easie to exemplifie this, in every Office of our Church. Give me leave only to mention one Instance within the compass of my own Knowledge, which perhaps may not be unworthy your special remarking: Tho' I doubt not but many of you have met with several Examples of the like nature.

It was immediately after the Happy Resto­ration of King Charles the Second, when, to­gether with the Rights of the Crown, and the English Liberties, the Church, and the Liturgy, were also newly restored; that a noted Ringleader of Schism in the former times, was to be buried in one of the princi­pal Churches of London. The Minister of the Parish, being a wise and regular Confor­mist, and he was afterwards an eminent Bishop in our Church, well knew how averse the [Page 17] Friends and Relations of the Deceased had always been to the Common Prayer; Which, by hearing it so often call'd a low Rudiment, a beggarly Element, and Carnal Ordinance, they were brought to contemn to that de­gree, that they shunned all occasions of being acquainted with it.

Wherefore, in order to the Interment of their Friend, in some sort, to their Satis­faction, yet so as not to betray his own Trust, he used this honest Method to undeceive them. Before the day appointed for the Fu­neral, he was at the pains to learn the whole Office of Burial by Heart. And then, the time being come there being a great Concourse of Men of the same Phanatical Principles, when the Company heard all delivered by him without Book, with a free Readiness, and profound Gravity, and unaffected compo­sure of Voice, Looks, and Gestures, and a very powerful Emphasis in every part; as in­deed his Talent was excellent that way; they were strangely surprised and affected: Pro­fessing, they had never heard a more sutable Exhortation, or a more edifying Exercise, even from the very best and most precious Men of their own Persuasion.

[Page 18]But they were afterwards much more sur­prised and confounded, when the same Per­son, who had officiated, assured the princi­pal Men among them, that not one Period of all he had spoken was his own; and convinc'd them by ocular Demon­stration, how all was taken Word for Word out of the very Office ordained for that purpose, in the poor contemptible Book of Common Prayer.

Whence he most reasonably inferr'd, how much their ill grounded Prejudice, and mistaken Zeal, had deluded them, that they should admire the same Discourse, when they thought it an unprepared, unpremedi­tated, Rapture: which they would have abo­minated, had they known it to be only a set Form prescribed by Authority.

And from the same Observation, we also may as justly infer, that all the Coldness and Dulnes, which too many, such abused and wanton Spirits, have complain'd they find in set Forms, is not really in the Forms them­selves; in ours it is far otherwise. If there be any colour for the Complaint, that can only proceed from a cold, flat, supine, insi­pid manner of repeating them.

[Page 19]Upon the whole Matter it is most certain, that, in the public Worship of GOD, no­thing can be more grave, or moving, more lofty, or Divine, either in the confessing, pe­titioning, or praising part, than where the Thoughts and Expressions are strictly weigh'd, and prudently reduced into standing unal­terable Forms: Provided also, those very Forms be not pronounced in a formal way; but that they be assisted, inflamed, inspired, as I may say, with such a present Ardour, and sprightly Zeal in reading them, as will always make them seem to be extempore: Extempore, I mean, in the new, ready, ve­hement manner of their Pronunciation; but set Forms still, in the solid Ripeness of the Sense, and the due Choice, and deliberate ordering of their Phrases and Figures; Which are the peculiar Advantages of set Forms: And therefore, so spoken, they will, in all Rea­son, produce a far more real, unfeigned, and durable Devotion, than all the other meer­extempore, raw, and indigested Effusions ought to pretend to.

I should crave your pardon, that I have dwelt so long on this first Head of Advice. But it appear'd to me so very material, that [Page 20] I could not hastily pass it over: Especially since what I have now said on this Subject, may concern in common all your public Mi­nistrations, and is equally applicable, not only to the well-performing the daily mor­ning and evening Prayers throughout the Year, both of ordinary Days and Sundays, and extraordinary Fasts and Festivals; but also to the Offices of Baptism, Matrimony, and the Holy Communion; and indeed to eve­ry other part of our established Liturgy: In all which, as the Reader officiates better or worse, so most usually is their Benefit and Efficacy more or less on the Minds of the Hearers.

Nay, I will now make bold to go farther, to apply the Usefulness of this Counsel, not only to the Praying Part, but also to ano­ther Part of your Office, I am next to con­sider, which is that of Preaching.

I am verily persuaded, that the Sermons preached every Sunday in this one Kingdom, by the Church of England Clergy in this Age, are more excellent Compositions of that kind, than have been delivered, in the same space of time, throughout the whole Christian World besides.

[Page 21]Only let me take the Freedom to suggest, that perhaps it would add much, tho' not to the solid and substantial Part of such Dis­courses, yet to their just popularity, and more general Acceptance, and to the greater Edification of our Hearers, if we would uni­versally addict our selves a little more to this Study of Pronunciation: By which Advan­tages alone of the Freedom, and life of their Elocution, we know the Preachers of some other Nations do seem to reign and triumph in the Pulpit, whilest their Sermons, as far as we can judge by those we have of them in Print▪ are not comparable to the English.

An Observation, which, methinks, may rouze our Preachers to out do them in this kind of Perfection also: I mean, in a natu­ral, comely, modest, yet undaunted force of Pronunciation: Not such as is full of over-Action, and mimical Gesticulations; which, though some Parties may admire for a time, and to serve a Turn, yet the serious Temper of our Na­tion will never long approve or admit of. But I intend such a steddy composed, severe, decent, lively, and apposite managing your Voices and Gestures in the Pulpit, as is best [Page 22] accommodated to the Gravity and Soli­dity of the English Genius, and is also agreeable, as much as may be, to the Sim­plicity, Power, and height of the Message you bring from Heaven.

The next great Duty then of your Priestly Office, which comes in our way, being that of Preaching, I shall begin with one short Admonition, which, I confess, I am almost ashamed to give; and yet it may be very expedient, that it should be given; not, I declare, as a Correction to any of you here present, for any thing past, but only in re­gard to the future, and for the sake of those who as yet are less experienced Preachers, and young timorous Beginners.

The Caution, in plain Terms, is this, that every Person, who undertakes this great Em­ployment, should make it a master of Reli­gion and and Conscience, to preach nothing but what is the Product of his own Study, and of his own Composing.

I would not be mistaken, as if I should hereby condemn the Reading of the Homi­lies; which were composed by the Wisdom and Piety of former Times, and have been ever-since allowed, nay recommended, by [Page 23] our Church, in some Places, and upon some Necessities to be used. I am so far from do­ing so, that I rather wish from my Heart we were furnish'd with a larger Stock of such learned plain, and orthodox Discourses.

There can be no manner of hurt, nay there is very great reason, that, upon some urgent Occasions, a Preacher should have liberty to take something out of that public Treasury, which was laid up for that end, and has the Stamp of Authority upon it to make it current. My Purpose is only to dis­suade you from all unjust Rapine of this kind, from all under-hand dealing with the private Stores of particular Persons.

As to that, I dare avouch, it is far better and more advisable, even for the rawest Practiser, to exhibit but very mean Things of his own, at first, than to flourish it in the best of other Mens Sense and Oratory. For he, who does never so ordinarily at first, provided it be from himself, may, and will do better, and better in time, by GOD's Assistance, thro' fervent Prayer, and indefa­tigable. Attention to reading, and hearing, and practising to preach. Whereas this sor­did borrowing, this shameful, I had almost [Page 24] said, sacrilegious purloining from other Mens Labours, is an utter irrecon­cilable Enemy to all manner of Growth and Improvement in Divine Learning, or Eloquence.

I will not now insist on the meaness of Spi­rit, and perpetual fear, that must attend the Consciousness of this Guilt, lest it should be, some time or other, discover'd; or on the shame and contempt that often happens to such Pilferers upon the Discovery. But besides all this, in Truth, when once Men have indulged themselves in this easie, but despicable and shuffling Commerce, they sel­dom or never give it over; nay, at last, they can very hardly give it over if they would.

Thence will succeed such a visible decay of Parts, such a neglect of all serious Studies, such a desuetude, and unaptness for regular thinking, such Emptiness of Invention and Memory, such a Diffidence of their own Style, Understanding and Judgement; that they, who at first made bold with others Sermons, perhaps meerly out of Idleness, will at length be forced to do it out of Ne­cessity▪ It will unavoidably happen to this kind of Thieves, as most commonly it does [Page 25] to all others; they steal so long in their Youth, and Strength of Age, because they will not work, that in their old Age, they are compell'd to steal on, because they can­not work.

But enough, or too much of this. I know to whom I speak; to those, who, for ought I could ever observe, or hear, do not only Preach, but themselves compose what they Preach. Yet I thought it became me to give this Intimation, seeing, in my own small Experience, I have been forced to de­ny Orders to some Persons, because I found them peccant in this very Crime. I was at first exceedingly amazed to hear them pro­duce most excellent Sermons, whilest I found their Gifts of Nature, and Abilities of Lear­ning, and Knowledge, were far from being passable. But my Wonder was soon over, when I manifestly discover'd, that nothing but their Ignorance was their own, their Sermons belonging of right to their Bet­ters.

Now then, my Brethren, that we may come into the Way again, after this unwel­come Digression, in making our Sermons, great regard ought to be had to the Words, [Page 26] and to the Matter; great to both, tho' not equally great to both.

Your Words and Style should be simple, expressive, weighty, authoritative: And there­fore, tho' not without some true Art, yet not very artificial; and rather void of all Ornament, than over-adorn'd; but as much Scriptural as may be without Affectation; and as easie, familiar, and intelligible as pos­sible. And Perspicuity is always possible. Nay it is almost impossible, that ones Words should not be perspicuous, when his Thoughts are clear, and untroubled, and the Thing to be spoken of is throughly understood. When the Matter is well invented, digested, and ordered in the Mind, it very rarely hap­pens, but the fittest and most expressive Words will occur to the Fancy and Tongue of the Speaker. Verba non invita sequentur.

Next, since your Matter must, of course, be either Doctrinal or Practical; where it shall be meerly Doctrinal, there it may suf­fice for your common Auditories, and, in good Truth, for all other, from the lowest to the very highest, that it be plain, sound, sub­stantial, ancient, catholic; seldom or never curiously drawn out into the fine Threads of [Page 27] Dispute and Speculation, or, as the Apostle terms them, Oppositions of Science falsly so called.

It were indeed, much to be wished, that the agitating of all manner of Contro­versies could be utterly excluded from the great Work of saving Souls, which is your special Work. Yet, because in times so de­generate from the Primitive Purity, and in this militant State of the Christian Church, it cannot be expected, that you should teach aptly, or oppose Schism and Heresie solidly, without touching sometimes, and entring upon some Walks of Controversies; Certain­ly the best way, in these inevitable Cases, is never to meddle with such obscure Subtilties, out of Spiritual Pride or Ostentation, but meerly out of Necessity; and then only with the most necessary Parts of them; and then also that you be ever sure to keep close to the Form of sound Words used in the Church, and to contain your selves within the known Bounds of Scripture Determinations, in eve­ry controverted Point, to deliver the Faith to your People, as it was once deliverd to the Saints.

[Page 28]As little a Lover then as I am of Contro­versial Divinity in the Pulpit, yet I cannot be faithful to you, or to our Mother the Church of England, if I do not recommend two sorts of it to be seriously studied by you: But I must still say, rather to be studied than preach'd; tho' preach'd too upon reasonable Occasions.

The first kind is that of the Controversies between us and the Church of Rome. For we are not yet so exempt from Fear on that Quarter, that we should securely lay aside, and suffer to rust on the Walls, those very Arms, which, to the immortal praise of the Parochial Clergy, were so successfully mana­ged by them, during the last great Crisis of danger from the Popish Interest.

I the rather mention these, because they are still almost in every Mans hands; and perhaps a judicious summ, and full Epitome, collected out of them all, would be as use­ful a Body of Controversies on those Que­stions, as any is yet extant.

Wherefore, that you may preserve your own, and the Souls under your Care, from Infection, and be able to convince Gain­sayers, I exhort you all, according to your [Page 29] several Stations and Opportunities, to be still conversant and prepared in those very same Arguments against the Papists: Yet, let me say also, not only now in those.

For there is another sort of Controversies, or rather blasphemous Doctrines, reviv'd in this Age, and which seem, indeed, to be the most cherish'd and darling Tenents of the loose and Antichristian part of the Age; I mean those execrable Opinions against the Incarnation and Eternal Godhead of our Sa­viour, the Satisfaction of his Meritorious Suf­ferings, and Death, and the very Being of the Ever-blessed Trinity: Which being all of them the peculiar and distinguishing Foun­dations of Christianity, whatever they, who so directly oppose them, may at first pretend, yet they cannot but really tend to the Destruction of the Primitive Faith in Christ, and the Introduction of another Re­ligion, new, and therefore abominable.

Wherefore, to maintain no less than the main Fundamental Points of our pure and Vndefiled Religion, you are now most zea­lously to apply your Thoughts to the serious Study of those Divine Mysteries. Yet, if you please to take my Judgment, after you [Page 30] shall be never so well furnish'd with Weapons defensive, or offensive, of this nature, you should very rerely brandish, or so much as shew them in your ordinary Pulpits; never but when you cannot avoid it without be­traying, or deserting the Orthodox Truth. And whenever you shall produce any of them in such Auditories, even then, it were best done in a calm, positive, and didactical, rather than in a sharp, wrangling, or contentious way. But always take along with you, what I said before, to wade no farther in them, in your popular Sermons, than as the Scripture Light primitively ex­pounded shall plainly lead you.

This may suffice, at present, touching the doctrinal and speculative part of your Preaching. As to the other, which is the Practical, in that I need not forewarn you to proceed with such reserve, or restraint. In the greatest abundance of that, if ma­naged with any tolerable Prudence, there can hardly be any manner of excess. Most assuredly the less controversial, and the more practical your Pulpit Discourses are, the bet­ter they must be, and the more profitable.

[Page 31]Now, my dear Brethren, the Subject of this part of your Sermons, being, as you cannot but know, so comprehensive and vast, as to take in the whole compass of all our Spiritual and Moral Duties; I say of Moral also; For, let none be deceived, Mo­ral Preaching is of marvellous use where­ever it is subservient to the inspired Doctrine of Christianity, and does not strive to justle that, which is its Principal, quite out of the Pulpit: But, I say, the Matter of your pra­ctical Preaching being in it self so large, as to extend to all the Precepts and Promises. both of the Law, and the Gospel; to all the Temptations and Corruptions of the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; whereof the one ought to be the eternal Argument of your Exhortations, the other of your Reproofs and Admonitions: Here it is espe­cially, that I would beseech you all, with a Brotherly Tenderness, and oblige you, with a Fatherly Authority, to lay out the whole stress, and bent of your Souls, to draw all your Studies, all your Learning, Human or Divine, all your Eloquence, all your Affe­ctions, all your Zeal this way: This being the great Work you have chosen for the Bu­siness [Page 32] of your whole Lives, and for which we all were so peculiarly dedicated to the Service of GOD, and his Church: And let me add, this being the great Purpose, for which all Scripture seems to have been given by Inspiration of GOD: That it may be profi­table for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction. There is the chief end of all the Doctrine you are to teach. But what follows? For Instruction in Righteousness; that the Man of GOD may be perfect, throughly furnished to every good Work. There is the great Design of all the Practice you are to inforce.

I have dispatched what I thought proper now to say on this Head of Preaching, un­less you will suffer me to name one very ob­vious Caution; which yet I cannot think to be ever the less necessary, for being so very obvious.

The Caution is, that in all your Sermons, where you have Occasion to praise any Vir­tue, or dispraise any Vice; in all your Com­mendations of what is bad; you would always separate the good Person from the good Thing, and always distinguish the Sinner from the Sin: That is, That you would ne­ver [Page 33] put any one Virtue, never any one Vice, you are to deal with in the Pulpit, into the Habit or Countenance of any one Member of your Congregations, so that they may be known thereby: In a word, that you would utterly shun, and abhor all Personal Flatteries of the Good; and all Personal Re­flections on the wicked.

As to the first of these Extremes, that of Flattery, I need only mention it here. That is seldom thought worthy of such plain Coun­try Congregations, as yours generally are: 'Twere well, if it were as much excluded out of all other Religious Assemblies of bet­ter Quality.

It is indeed great pity, that such glosing and deceitful Language should at last, in any measure, take Sanctuary in the Church; when it had been so long, in all Ages, by common Consent of wise and good Men, judg'd fit to be banish'd out of all other well­constituted Societies. Has it not been always found, by Experience, that a flattering Tongue is so far from increasing the Virtues of the Good, and the Great, that it rather serves to deprave the real Worth they might have before? So that, as the Psalmist says, [Page 34] the Men who flatter with their Tongue, have not only no Faithfulness in their Mouth, but their very Throat is an open Sepulcher. But, above all, it is most unbecoming the Pulpit; where Men would seem to speak as from GOD, and with Authority, which nothing can more debase or prostitute than Flattery.

As to the other Excess, that of secret Re­flections, and malicious Insinuations against, or open Defamations of Persons, I would absolutely dissuade you from the very Sha­dow, and Suspicion of it. I would intreat you all, in the Bowels of our Lord Christ, that you would never, on any Occasion, or Acci­dent, not even on the greatest Provocation, do that Affront to the Honour and Modesty of the Pulpit, as to make it a Place for any Rudeness, or Scurrility whatsoever. Surely nothing can be more disgraceful to the Re­putation of your Profession, or more de­structive to Edification, or more unbeseem­ing the Gravity and Charity of a Church-of-England Divine, than to make an Ordinance so sacred; and the Word of GOD handled in it, become instrumental to your own pri­vate Passions, Animosities, or Revenges.

[Page 35]I am now arrived at the next great Duty of your Holy Office, which is that of Cate­chising; not so much to recommend to you the Duty it self; tho' I might do that most earnestly and vehemently, and with some kind of Episcopal Expostulation and Repre­hension, if any where it should be totally neglected. But that I would not here so much as suppose.

I cannot doubt but we are all of one Mind, touching the inexpressible Advantages of this Ordinance in general; we especially who have lived in these Times. We cannot but be abundantly convinced of it by a wo­ful and dear-bought Experience: Since it is evident, that the far greater part of the mon­strous Looseness of Opinions, and profane Enormity of Manners, which overwhelm'd the whole face of the last Age, and has too much descended on this, did remarkably proceed from the notorious defect, or uni­versal Omission of Orthodox Catechising, during the Calamities and Confusions of the great Rebellion.

Wherefore, touching the imminent Ne­cessity of restoring, or, I may well hope ra­ther, among you, of continuing this first [Page 36] part of Christian Discipline, I make sure ac­count we are all agreed.

The only Thing, to be debated, is the Manner, how this Holy Exercise may be so put in use, that the blessed Ends, which, I am assured, we all aim at alike, may be attained.

Without all Controversie then, the first Practice of your regular Catechising, in all your Churches, ought to be in the very same Order, and on the same Materials, which the Church Catechism has traced out, and the Law has injoin'd.

I would therefore desire you all to begin, or rather incourage you to go on, plainly and literally in that way, with a strict Con­sinement of your Catechumens, as they may be called, to that very compendious Intro­duction; to have your Youth throughly versed, and instructed perfectly in all the Questions and Answers there prescribed. This ought by no means to be left undone in the smallest or poorest of your Country Cures; where the highest Capacities are not at first above, and the lowest can scarce be below, this kind of plain Information.

[Page 37]But in greater Towns, where the Youth are somewhat better educated, and so should be more capable of Improvement, there, supposing still you never omit the other more simple way, you may, by degrees, with a sober, and discreet Pace, proceed farther; I will not say, by inlarging the Foun­dations, but by raising the Building higher on the same compass of Ground.

And this I have known done with very remarkable Fruit, and Benefit to the Learners, in a familiar Method, whereof I will only trace out to you the imperfect Draught▪ which, by Time and Custom, you may easily advance, and complete. The Method is this, That to every Article, and every Clause of it, in the Church Catechism, after they have learnt them by Heart, you should an­nex, at first, some such Texts of Scripture, as may suffice to prove the Matter contain'd in them, and do it in the fewest Words, and clearest to the Purpose. These Texts you should induce your young Disciples to repeat often, and perfectly without Book, together with each Article, and should be­gin to let them understand, by a very brief Exposition, how evidently each Scripture proves each Article.

[Page 38]Then, by degrees, after they shall be made intimately acquainted with that first Sett of Texts, you may more securely add other Quotations out of the Bible, somewhat lar­ger, but still tending to the same Purpose; and when you have explain'd them, in the like manner, but more copiously, you may cause those also to be learnt as exactly, and repeated as readily as the former. And the same Course you may begin, and go through with again, still adding more Texts, and more distinctly dividing the Parts, and Members of the several Articles, as often as you shall find it practicable, or conveni­ent.

Thus, whilest you do not over-burden tender Minds, but softly instil these Instru­ctions into them, Drop after Drop, the Children, you have undertaken in this way, so very little out of the common Rode, and many also of riper Years, who shall be present, and attentive, will, beyond their own, and even your first Expectation, come to have trea­sured up, almost unawares, in their Minds, a little Body, as it were, of Orthodox Di­vinity: which cannot but be all Orthodox, all Primitive, as being, without mixture, [Page 39] purely collected out of the Holy Scriptures.

With the Scriptures, by this means, their Memories will unperceivably be filled; yet not so as only to fit them to cant with unsea­sonably, in common Discourse, but so as to instruct or confirm their Judgments, and teach them to apply properly, what they shall there read, to every part of a sober Chri­stians Belief, or practical Duty.

In this great Article of Catechising, I would offer one honest Direction more. It is, that you should not so much aim in it at the length of the Exercise, or at the perpe­tual changing of your Thoughts and Ex­pressions, as at the sound Bottom, on which you build your Discourse, and the solid, unmovable Ground of each Doctrine, whereon you fix your Explanations; tho' your Performance each time be the shorter, so it be not unreasonably short, and tho' your Words, and Phrases, may happen fre­quently to be the same, and repeated more than once.

In truth, I would, if I durst, offer some such Advice also as to your Preaching. But I know the common Vogue is against my real Opinion in this Matter. And therefore I [Page 40] must handle this point the more tenderly.

It is indeed a very great Burden, that the Humour of the People, and our own too, in some measure, has laid on our Profession: Such as, I think, no other Calling, or Way of Life, were ever willing to lay on them­selves; no, nor any other Nation, that I know of, has exacted in so high a degree, from their Clergy; that you should twice or once a week, at least, always present your Auditories with new Sermons; and those also to be composed with the Care and Accu­racy, almost of Elaborate, and Complete Treatises.

Whereas I am sure, in the business of Catechising, and most probably, the same will be found true in Preaching also, that a sound, substantial, well-collected, and well-woven Provision, of Plain, Instructive, God­ly, and Devout Discourses, altered, and in­creased, according to the Teachers growing Abilities, and used over, and over, tho' in the same Desks, or Pulpits, would be more edifying, and sink deeper into the Minds, and Consciences of the Hearers, than all the greatest Afluence, and Redundance of new Words, and Phrases multiply'd, or in­terchanged, [Page 41] which the most fanciful, copious Catechist, or Preacher can devise.

I have known some very learned and pious Men, and excellent Preachers, and zealous Lovers of our Church, and Country; whose Welfare and Prosperity they wisely judg'd to be inseparably join'd; I say I have known these Persons affectionately declare their Wishes that some such Order, as this I shall subjoin, were observed by the greatest part, if not by all our Parochial Ministers.

That, on the very entring into their Mi­nistry, or at any time afterwards, if they have not done it before, they would set them­selves to draw out the general Lineaments, and larger Members of a whole Years, or perhaps a two Years Course of Catechisms, and Sermons: following therein the annual Method of our Churches Devotions, or any other Scheme they shall approve, and form to themselves; provided it comprizes all the main Points of Christian Doctrine, and Practice.

That on this Stock they should set up; and, in the first, and second Year, begin to fill up the void Spaces, and lay the first Co­lours, towards the finishing, as well as their [Page 42] Sufficiency will then allow; still collecting, and conveying all the Streams of their useful Reading and Learning into those common Receptacles and Channels; and so successive­ly Preaching them on, as the Year turns round.

That ever after, in the whole Progress of their Ministry, they should still be ad­ding to, or cutting off from, or polishing those first imperfect Ideas; altering the Method, and Shape of the whole, if needful; infor­cing, or increasing the Arguments, Illustra­tions, and Amplisications, if Wanting; in­serting new Doctrines before-unobserved, making new practical Inferences before-un­touched, as their Judgements, or Light, or Experience shall improve; but especially, still drawing more, and more, over all, a new beautiful Skin, and the lovely Features of Scripture Language: And then, without Scruple, or Disguise, should preach them again, and again, so corrected, augmented, and in some part renewed.

And I have heard these very wise Persons, some of them most excellent Fathers of our Church, often conclude, that, by this, or some such Method, any Preacher, tho' of no extraordinary-bright Endowments at first, [Page 43] yet of an honest Mind, clear Sense, un­wearied Industry, and judicious Learning, would, in process of time, in all likelihood, have by him in store, a complete, domestic, Course of sound, well-compacted, affecting Sermons; that, by GOD's Blessing, might with the just Advantages of Delivery, be of far greater use to his Conscientious Hearers, than all that pompous Novelty, and coun­terfeit Variety, which some others may boast of.

I say counterfeit Variety. For so indeed it is often, upon tryal, found to be. And now I have faithfully told you the Opinion of those Great Men, I will presume, under so safe a Shelter, to disclose my own Thoughts in this Business; yet still with all deference, and candour towards any, who may differ from me in this Particular.

We have lived in an Age, when the two Gifts, as they are wont to be call'd, of Ex­tempore Praying, and Extempore Preaching, have been more pretended to, and magnified, than, I believe, they ever were before, or, I hope, ever will be again, in this Church and Nation. Yet, for all I could ever learn, or observe, the most sudden Readiness, and [Page 44] most profuse Exuberancy, in either of these Ways, has been only Extempore in Shew and Appearance, and very frequently but a cunningly-dissembled Change of the very same Matter, and Words often repeated, tho' not in the same order.

As to that of Extempore Praying, which therefore too many mistake for Praying by the Spirit; it is manifest, that the most ex­ercised, and most redundant Faculty, in that kind, is, in reality, only Praying by the Fancy, or, the Memory, not by the Spirit. They do but vary, and remove the Scripture Style, and Language, or their own, into as many Places, and Shapes, and Figures, as they can. And tho' they have acquired ne­ver so plentiful a Stock of them, yet still the same Phrases, and Expressions, do so often come about again, that the Disguise may quickly be seen through, by any attentive and intelligent Hearer. So that, in plain terms, they who think themselves most skil­ful in this Art, do really, all the while, only pray in set Forms disorderly set, and never ranged into a certain Method. For which Cause, tho' they may not seem to be set Forms to their deluded Auditors, yet they [Page 45] are so in themselves; and the very Persons who use them most variously, and most arti­ficially, cannot but know them to be so.

This, my Brethren, seems to be all the great Mystery of the so much boasted Power of Ex­tempore Praying. And why may not the like be affirm'd, in great measure, of Extem­pore Preaching, which has so near an Affi­nity with the other? Is not this also, at the Bottom, only a more crafty Management of the same Phrases and Observations, the same Doctrines, and Applications, which they had before provided, and composed, and reserved in their Memories?

Do but hear the most voluble Masters in this way, once or twice, or perhaps oftner, as far as their Changes shall reach, and at first, no doubt, you will be inclined to wonder at the strange Agility of their Imaginations, and compass of their Inventions, and Nimbleness of their Utterance. But if you shall attend them calmly, and constantly, the Vizour will be quickly pull'd off, tho' they manage it never so dextrously: You will at last find, they only walk forward, and backward, and round about: One, it may be, in a larger Labyrinth than another; but in a Labyrinth [Page 46] still; through the same Turnings and Wind­ings again, and again, and, for the most part, guided by the same clue.

The Explanations, perhaps, of their Texts, the Connexions, and Transitions of the Parts, and some sudden Glosses, and Descants, and Flights of Fancy▪ may seem new to you. But the material Points of Doctrine, and the common Places, to which, upon any Loss, or Necessity, they have recourse, these they frequently repeat, and apply, to several Sub­jects, with very little Alterations in the Sub­stance, oftentimes not in the Words. These are the constant Paths, which they scruple not to walk over, and over again, 'till, if you follow them very close, you may per­ceive, amidst all their Extempore Pretensions, they often tread in the same Rounds 'till they have trodden them bare enough.

But, GOD be thanked, the Church of England neither requires, nor stands in need of any such raptural (if I may so call it) or Enthusiastical Spirit of Preaching. Here the more advised, and modest, the more deliberate and prepared the Preacher is, the better he is furnished, by GOD's Grace, to deliver effectually our Churches solid Sense, its [Page 47] fixed Precepts, its unalterable Doctrines. Our Church pretends not to enter into Mens Judgements; meerly by the Affections; much less by the Passions to overthrow their Judgements. The Door, which that strives first to open, is of the Understanding, and Conscience: It is content, if by them, a Pas­sage shall be made into the Affections.

I have detain'd you the longer on this Ar­gument, because I am perfectly convinced, that although one, or two Preachers in an Age, or perhaps some few more, Men of extraordinary Parts, Assurance of Mind, and Volubility of Tongue, may, by long use, make a remarkable Blaze, for a time, in this sudden, unstudied Way: Yet, if it should ever become the general Custom of the whole English Clergy, it would produce little more than Ignorance and Confidence in many of our Preachers, and tempt many of the Laity, who presume themselves to be equally gifted, to think they had an equal Right to the Mi­nistry.

But what need I say any more of this Mat­ter? It is confess'd on all hands, that if an Extempore kind of Preaching had been uni­versally put in use among us, from the be­ginning [Page 48] of our Reformation, the whole Church of Christ had been much impove­rished thereby, had been deprived of the best Treasury of Sermons, that ever it was inrich'd with, since the Apostles, and their Successors, and the primitive Fathers Times.

There is still behind one solemn Duty more, belonging to all of us, wherein I would willingly suggest one serious Word of Counsel: And it concerns the Office of Visiting the Sick. I would not doubt, but herein you generally do your Parts, dili­gently, piously, and prudently. But there are some Things in this, as well as in the others before-mentioned, touching the Man­ner of doing it, whereof the Observation may be of a peculiar and signal Benefit to your selves, as well as to your Spiritual Patients.

If you please to consult the Rubricks re­lating to this Office, you will find, you are more left to your own Liberty in this, than, I think, in any of the rest. For this Duty of Friendship, and Charity, being supposed to be more in private, the Rule it self in the Li­turgy seems to give way to, nay to direct some occasional Admonitions, and Exhorta­tions, [Page 49] to which I do not remember, it does equally impower you in any of the rest, out of the Pulpit.

Wherefore, to prepare your Thoughts, and to replenish your Minds throughly for this Work not only of Ministerial Duty, but of Compassion, and Brotherly Love, you shall not only do well to furnish your Me­mories, with a plentiful Store of pious, mo­ving, affectionate Expressions, out of the Book of Psalms, and other practical and de­votional Parts of the Holy Scriptures first; and, next to them, out of our own Liturgy; and all these to be casually used, as shall be most proper: But principally I would per­suade you, to have some good, sound Body of Casuistical Divinity, of your own studying I mean, to be always at hand, that is, in your Hearts, as well as Heads.

You can scarce imagine, unless you have try'd it, as, I hope, some of you have, of what unspeakable Use this Divine Science of Cases of Conscience will be to you upon any sudden, unforeseen Emergency in such Ghostly Visits.

Indeed the being a sound, and well-expe­rienced Casuist is also a most excellent Qua­lification, [Page 50] towards all the other Ends of your Ministerial Office; there being no kind of Skill, or Proficiency in all your Theological Studies, that more becomes a Divine of the Church of England; whose highest Spiritual Art is to speak directly from his own Con­science to the Consciences of those under his Pastoral Care: and this at all times; but most especially when they are on their Sick-Beds: When Mens Consciences are usually most awakened, most managable, most truly tender, and capable of the best Impressions.

So that I say it again, and can never say it too often, one of the most necessary Provi­sions, and Instruments of your sacred Ar­mory, which you are always to carry about with you, in your own Souls, (for there it is best lodged; thence it will be drawn forth, on all Occasions, with the quickest Expedi­tion,) is such a firm Sense, and general Scheme of the primitive, uncorrupt, practi­cal, Casuistical Divinity: Such as, on the one side, is purged from the Spiritual Crafts, and Equivocations of the Jesuits, and, on the other, is freed from the Narrowness and Sourness of Enthusiasm.

[Page 51]I told you even now, it highly concern'd you all to be well stock'd with plenty of good Matter for present Use, in the Visita­tion of the Sick; and that for your own Sakes as much as theirs. And, in truth, so it is. A Clergy-man can, no way better, have his own Affections, and Passions regu­lated, tempered, soften'd, mortified, sancti­fied, than by frequently performing this Of­fice in a right Godly manner.

By thus often seeing Death before our Eyes, in all its ghastly Shapes, we cannot, if it be not the Fault of our own Insensibility, but be the better accustomed, and made skilful to teach the whole, and the healthful, how to prepare to meet that King of Terrors. By these Spiritual Anatomies of the Dying, (if I may be allowed to use so bold a Metaphor,) we cannot but be made more expert in dis­cerning the inward Frames and Constitutions of the Living, and to apply the properest Remedies to the Diseases of their Souls.

And, to instance now only in one Duty of such a faithful Spiritual Physician, that of re­lieving and refreshing the Conscience through­ly searched and purged, and of comforting and restoring the true Penitent, What, I be­seech [Page 52] you, can be a more God-like Work among Men, than for us to be humbly ser­viceable in that, which GOD owns to be His Work, to be skill'd in not breaking the bruised Reed, and not quenching the Smoaking Flax? To be instrumental in performing our Lords own Office, under the Parable of the good Samaritan, in binding up the wounded Spirit, and pouring Wine, and Oyl into it?

What can more adorn your Evangelical Ministry, than a soft, melting, compassionate, Fellow-feeling, merciful Habit, and Dispo­sition of Mind, and, as the Scripture styles it, the Ornament of a meek Spirit? Or, Where can such a blessed Temper be more seasona­bly practised, or sooner learn'd and increas'd, than in the Chambers of sick and dying Per­sons?

Now, my dear Brethren, having all along insisted, that, for the furnishing and inriching your Minds with Spiritual Knowledge, to­wards the due performing these, and all other Offices of your Holy Profession, you should make the Holy Scriptures the principal Sub­ject, and indeed the only final Center of all your Studies; that your Doctrine should [Page 53] never swerve from that unerring Rule; your very Words, Language, and Style, should every where tast of, and overflow with those living, and inexhaustible Streams of Truth, and Godliness; it may be expected, that, for the Sake only of the younger Divines among you, I should add a Word or two, touching the Manner, and Method, of your studying these sacred Writings. It is indeed a Business too large to be drawn within the narrow compass of the Conclusion of such a Dis­course. But since a true, at least a compe­tent Understanding of this Blessed Book, ought to be the Beginning, and End of all our Spiritual Studies; and because I may speak to some, whose Circumstances in this World are not so plentiful, as to enable them to purchase large Libraries; yet their In­dustry is by no means to be discouraged, nor their Zeal, in pursuing this Holy Skill, abated; I will open to you my own simple Apprehensions in this Matter, with Sub­mission still to better Judgements.

My Opinion is, That altho', without question, all manner of Secular, or Eccle­siastical Learning, can never be more useful­ly employ'd, than in this search, and is all [Page 54] little enough for it, and too little to com­pleat it; yet, when all is done, the Scrip­ture it self is the best Expositor, the best Commentator on it self.

It is apparent, that the whole New Testa­ment is so to the whole Old Testament; that being the real Light of the others figurative Darkness, and Mysteries; the very Consum­mation of the others Prophecies, and Sha­dows of good Things to come. But I will also aver, that every Part, every Book, every Sentence almost, both of the Old and the New Testament, well-compared, and judi­ciously set one over against the other, in their right View, and Reflection, cannot but prove, by GOD's Blessing, an inestimable Explanation of each other: If a due and ac­curate Care, I say, be taken to interpret their difficult Texts, by others of their own, that are easier; and to collate their Words, Phrases, and Sense, that may seem dark, or doubtful in some Places, with the same, or the like in other Places, where they are clearer and more intelligible.

I cannot forbear, as I go along, to declare my Meaning a little fuller in this Matter, by one special Instance. For, consider, I pray, [Page 55] how is it possible for any, the most learned, or sagacious Student in Divinity, to con­ceive the true, and genuine Sense of the Elo­quent and Divine Epistle to the Hebrews, ex­cept he has been also throughly conversant in the Writings of Moses? Or where can there be found a clearer, a more Spiritual, and more illustrious Commentary on the whole Ritual Part of the Pentateuch, than the Epistle to the Hebrews?

The like also may be proved of all other Portions of the Holy Book of GOD. And indeed to manifest, what mutual Brightness, and Splendor, the Scripture gives to and takes from it self, by comparing its several Parts, I need only urge the frequent Practice of our Saviour himself, and the inspired Pen­men of the Gospel, in thus expounding the Old Law by the New, and the New by the Old.

So that now I may with greater Freedom propound my humble Conceptions in this Matter; That where Multitudes of Fathers, Councils, Schoolmen, Histories are wanting, (which are all very beneficial Helps, where they can be had, but, where they cannot be come at,) if a Clergy-man shall resort im­mediately [Page 56] to the Fountain it self, first, and always imploring the Assistance of that Di­vine Spirit, by which the Scriptures were written, and then, with a sincere Love of the Truth, and Resolution to live according to it, without which GOD will neither hear our Prayers, nor bless our Endeavours; and also with an humble Heart, a devout Mind, and unquenchable Fervour of Spirit, and a right unbyass'd Judgement; join'd with a sufficient Skill in the Original Lan­guages, and in those other Introductory Stu­dies; which no Man in Holy Orders, if it be not the Bishop's Fault, as well as his own, can possibly be altogether to seek in: And if withal he shall be assisted with some of the ancient, and some few of the modern sound, and Orthodox Commentaries; he will, in all human Probability, by an incessant, daily, and nightly meditating upon, and revolving in his Mind, the Divine Text it self, become, in time, tho' not perhaps, as Apollos is said to have been, Eloquent, and Mighty in the Scriptures, yet a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

[Page 57]The more to incourage your Studies in this Method, if you shall be necessitated to it, give me leave to present you with one Example of a great Divine, and Bishop, in the Time of King Charles the First, who was one of the most Eminent Confessors then, and survived those Calamities, to die in Peace and Tranquillity, several Years after the Return of King Charles the Second.

In the common Persecution, which then happened to the whole Episcopal Order, this Reverend Person was exposed to a more than ordinary Degree of popular Malice, and Rage; so that, without ever being once brought to his Tryal, he was closely impri­soned in the Tower, for almost twenty Years, and was not only despoil'd of his annual Re­venue, and Personal Estate, in the first Fury of the Civil Wars; but was also plunder'd of most of the Collections of his former La­bours, and a very considerable Library.

Wherefore, being thus laid up in Prison, without any prospect of Liberty, having also a numerous Family to maintain, so that he was not able, in any sort, to repair the Loss of his Books, and Papers, he betook himself to this course of Study. Well-knowing, that [Page 58] he could have no faithfuller Companion for his Solitude, nor surer Consolation in his Af­flictions, than the Holy Scriptures, he ap­plied himself to them immediately, with little other help, but what he had within himself, and the best Prints of the Originals in the Learned Tongues, and their Translations in the Learned, and Modern, in both which he was a great Master.

Thus however he firmly, and vigorously proceeded so far in the single Study of the Scriptures, that long before his Enlarge­ment, he had composed a great Mass of An­notations on divers Parts of the Bible. What is become of them, I know not. If they are either imbezill'd, or suppress'd, no doubt, it is to the great Damage of the Church; since the Native Thoughts of a Great Man are generally, at least, as good as the most Artificial.

Perhaps you will say, he might be able to do all this by the Strength of his Memory, and the Variety of Learning he had laid up in it before-hand: And I make no doubt but those were an exceeding great Assistance to him.

But what was very remarkable, and for [Page 59] which I am bold to produce him as an Instance worthy your Imitation in this Particular, I know, he was often heard to profess solemnly, that in all his former Studies, and various Reading, and Obser­vations, he had never met with a more useful Guide, or a surer Interpreter, to di­rect his Paths in the dark Places of the lively Oracles, to give Information to his Under­standing in the obscure Passages, or Satisfa­ction to his Conscience in the experimental Truths of them, than when he was thus dri­ven by Necessity, to the assiduous Contem­plation of the Scripture alone, and to weigh it by it self, as it were, in the Ballance of the Sanctuary.

Had I not been already so tedious, there is one Particular behind, on which I ought most justly to have expatiated, which now I can only name; And it is that touching the Manner of your Conversation; that it be such, as may render you Vessels, not only sanctified, but meet for your Masters Vse, and, as St. Paul also adds, Vessels of Honour.

I would therefore recommend to Men of your Character, not only the Innocency, and Sincerity, but (as much as human Frailties [Page 60] will allow,) the Comeliness, and the Amia­bleness of every Word, and Action of your Lives: That you especially would not only strive to follow whatsoever Things are true, or ho­nest, or just, but moreover whatsoever Things are pure and lovely, and of good Report; that you would think on these Things, not only if there be any Virtue, but if there be any Praise of Virtue.

From you, my Brethren, it may well be expected▪ that your Behavior should not on­ly be unblameable, but, if I may be permit­ted so to say, something more than strictly unblameable, and that not only to those with­in, but also towards them who as yet are without; that you should not only keep your Minds clean, your Hands unpolluted, your Tongues well-govern'd, your whole Course of Life spotless, and upright, and your Consciences undefiled, but also your Consciences void of Offence, and that towards Men, as well as towards GOD: That you may be not only exemplary in your Families, in your Parishes, in the Neighbouring Coun­try, in the whole Church of GOD, to the Gentry, to the Laity, to your Brethren of the Clergy, to the Commonalty of our Communion, for your Justice, Modesty, [Page 61] Sobriety, Prudence, Quietness, and Obe­dience to Superiors; but that you would exercise, and extend all these Virtues, and also your Humility, Long-suffering, good Will, good Wishes, Condescention, and Affability, even beyond the Church it self, to the very Enemies of it: That towards all Men you would sweeten the Gravity of your Behaviour, and soften the Strictness of your Conversation, with the Gentleness, and Suavity of your Manners: That you would take special Care, as never to be ob­stinately in the wrong, so, when you are sure you are in the right, even then never to be too rigidly, austerely, or morosely in the right: That by all reasonable Respects, mild and winning Converse, and not only by a ready Return, but by a chearful Pre­vention of all Christian good Offices; and even by making your very Oppositions, and Contentions with those, that differ from you, if you shall happen to be forced to any, as humane and friendly, and easie to be in­treated, as possible; by all this you may do your part to put to silence the Ignorance of foolish and unreasonable Men. Who knows but you may convert, and gain some of [Page 62] them? Who knows, but by your thus fol­lowing not only Righteousness, and Faith, but Peace and Charity; by your being not only apt to teach, but gentle to all Men, and patient, in Meekness instructing those that oppose them­selves; who knows, but by these Means GOD peradventure will give the fiercest Adversaries of our Church Repentance to the acknowledg­ing of the Truth? Most certainly by these Means, or by no other, in all human Proba­bility.

I cannot now enlarge, as I would, on this most necessary and seasonable Argument. But unquestionably by thus keeping your selves free from haughty Censoriousness, and untractable Peevishness, and sullen Darkness of Life, and Manners; And by excelling in the contrary Virtues, you will, in the best way, teach and convince all that dissent from you, how unworthy such a Pharisai­cal Garb, and Disposition is of the true Christian Liberty, or Severity.

In short, by such a grave, sedate, decent, charitable Course, and Colour of your whole Lives, you will do your selves, and especially the Church of England most Right. For our Church it self, wherever [Page 63] she is set in a true Light, cannot but be found to be most of this sweet, meek, and truly pacific Temper, of any Church in the Christian World.

I conclude therefore. Whoever among her Sons, and Members, much more among her Teachers, and Fathers, as you, and we are, shall not do their utmost, to attain to this gentle, obliging, charming Manner of Con­versation, which our Church prescribes to­wards all Men, Adversaries as well as Friends, I must repeat what our Blessed Saviour said to his Disciples, on the like Occasion, they know not what Spirit they are of.

There is one or two short Requests more I am to make you, which chiefly respect me, as your unworthy Bishop; and then I shall give ease to your Patience.

One is to intreat, that you would be exceeding watchful, and indeed religiously serupulous, for whom you give Certificates and Testimonials. For what some of you, perhaps out of good Nature, or good Neighbourhood, or an Easiness, and not be­ing able to resist Importunity, may at first think to be only a Matter of Form, is not so to me. I have scarce any other way pos­sible [Page 64] of being rightly informed, from with­out, of the good Lives, or sufficient Endow­ments of the Persons, but only by yours, and the like Testimonies. The Law of the Land appoints that Method to me, and al­most confines me to it. Whereas, if you make this to be only a Business of private Fa­vour, or Partiality, not of public Judge­ment, and Conscience, I may chance to be led into very mischievous, and some­times irreparable Mistakes; only by that, which you may esteem but as a piece of Bashfulness, and good Breeding: I may be induced to lay Hands on the ignorant, and unworthy, meerly by the Authority of your Names, the subscribing of which you might think to be only an Office of common Hu­manity and Modesty.

My next and last Request to you, at this time, shall concern your Curates. This it may suffice only to intimate to you. I know, I need not spend many Words on it in this Assembly; because there is but a very small inconsiderable Number of Pluralists in my Diocese. I am persuaded, they will be found upon Inquiry the fewest of any in [...].

[Page 65]I cannot but say, I could be very well con­tent there were more: Especially if all, so qualified, would be rigorously true to the Church, in their Choice of Substitutes, where they cannot always reside themselves.

For, as I will frankly own, I never yet heard an invincible Objection, against the prudent Allowance, and moderate Use of Pluralities; but only some plausible popular ones against the Abuse of them; which we are as much offended with as any others can be: So, I verily believe, were this Legal Indulgence to the Clergy so carefully obser­ved every where, as, among divers other good Ends of it, to furnish us with a Race of painful, learned, Godly Curates; who, by this way of Probation, may make, and shew themselves worthy to be promoted to a higher Charge; there Pluralities would be so far from being a Scandal, or Preju­dice, that they would conduce to the Strength, and Defence, as well as they do to the Ease, and Ornament of the Church of England.

The great Obligation then I am to lay upon you; you, I mean, whom it does at present concern, is this, That you would be [Page 66] very unmovably faithful to me, to your selves, and to the whole Church of GOD, in the Persons, whom, on just Occasions, you shall offer to me to be your Cu­rates.

I do not only intend, that you should ne­ver Own, or Patronize any, as your Curates, who really are not so, that, under that Co­lour, by false Titles, they may slip into Holy Orders. But I speak of such Instances where you really have need of, and the Law allows you to have Curates. In such Cases, it is my earnest Intreaty, that you would not only keep all the Legal Times of your own Residence, and Hospitality; and not only afford your Curates a liberal Main­tenance in your Absence; Liberal, I mean, not only for their own Livelihood, but for their continuing some kind of Hospitality too, to the Poor at least: But that you, you especially, who are of greater Age, and Ex­perience, would watch over your Curates as your Fellow-Labourers, your Friends, your Probationers; for whose Improvement, in Divine Learning, Godly Conversation, and Abilities of Teaching, you▪ or I, must be answerable to the Great Shepherd of our Souls.

[Page 67]But it is high time to dismiss you. I be­seech Almighty GOD to assist, and pros­per all your Labours, to His Glory, and your own Comfort in the Great Day of Ac­count. Towards the obtaining which Bles­sed Ends, you can never think of any bet­ter▪ or indeed of any other Means, than by living up▪ in your private Conversation, to the Religion you profess, and teach others; and, in your public Office, by defending and supporting the Church established by Law in this Kingdom.

A Religion, and a Church, that well de­serves all this at your hands; being in its Faith most Primitive, in its Orders most A­postolical; in its Discipline most Moderate; in its Charity most Diffusive; in its Devo­tions most Spiritual as to the Substance; most decent as to the Circumstances. In few Words, in its Interests it is inviola­bly united with the Laws and Rights, with the Well-Being, I had almost said with the Being, of the English Nation and Govern­ment: In its Principles, it is irreconcilable with the Interests of Popery, and the only impregnable Defence against its Return in­to this Land: Which, it is much to be la­mented, [Page 68] that the Dissenters will not see, and are therefore Dissenters, since it is evident, the Papists themselves have always seen it but too well.

What then remains? but that as Christi­ans, as English-Men, as Church-Men, we should all make it our principal, our only great Concern, and pray to GOD the Father of Mercies, that all others of our Character, throughout the Nation, would make it theirs; to represent to the World the true Excellencies of such a Religion, and such a Church, by our Doctrine and Example, with Industry, and Vigilance, with Stedfast­ness, and Courage, in Meekness of Wisdom, and with Zeal according to Knowledge.

And if we shall all, in this Manner, de­vote our selves to this Work, we may then be assured, that the same Promise, which our Lord Christ, in some of his last Words on Earth, made to his whole Church, will be eminently made good to this, the purest part of it in these latter Ages of Chri­stianity, that He himself will be alway with it even to the End of the World. Amen.