is one very proper method of expreffing and cherishing a sense of piety in their own minds, and fpreading it through their families, neighbours and dependants; whereas, by fuffering his houfe to be an object of contempt and scorn, while perhaps they fpare nothing to beautify their own, they will be understood, and will tempt all around them, to defpife the fervice performed there, and him to whom it is paid: that repairing and embellishing their churches will employ the poor full as beneficially, as adorning their feats and gardens, and procure them a much better grounded, and more general, eftcem. Indeed it is surprising, that noblemen and gentlemen will fquander vaft fums in the gratification of private luxury and vanity, for which more condemn than applaud them; and not confider, that much finaller fums beftowed on public works, especially in honour of religion, would gain them the admiration of a whole country; and the peculiar bleffing of many, whom they would thus cafe from burthens: befides that they might fhew their good taste, ifdthat be the favourite point with them, no lefs in one way than the other. But even Heathen writers have obferved long ago, that expenfive perfonal indulgence, and mean fpirited parfimony in what regards -the community, are often companions, and always ill fymptoms (d). ༣་ But you may prefs the obligation of repairing and ornamenting yet more strongly, both on fuch of the nobility and gentry, and on fuch colleges and ecclefiaftical perfons or bodies, as are, impropriators and likewife on the leffees of thefe latter; because they have a more beneficial intereft in the eftate, than the leffors. Being poffeffed of the greater fhare of what was originally given for the fupport of the service and the fabric, they are bound at leaft in confcience, to take care of both, if it :he needful: but of one part of the fabric, the chancel, they are indifputably bound by law to take care. And yet too commonly even thofe amongst them, who should be the most attentive to this point, strangely neglect it; or throw it on their tenants, who they know will of courfe neglect it and concern themselves no farther. So their chancels are only in fuch fort of repair, as their barns and out-houses. Now handfome benefactions to put them in a better condition, given from time to time, and especially when good fines are received, would fhew piety and generofity at once; would abate the unjust envy and hatred, to which academical and ecclefiaftical owners of eftates are liable; and fet an example, which others might probably imitate. I have already faid, in fpeaking of chancels, that the ornaments of facred places ought not to be light and gaudy, but modeft and grave. Amongst thefe, a very proper one, of the cheaper kind, is, writing on the walls chofen fentences of Scripture. This was done as early as the 4th century (e): but in procefs of time cafed to be done, at least in the vulgar tongue and being restored at the reformation, was forbidden, las promoting that cause, by Bishop Bonner in Queen Mary's reign (ƒ). It not only diverfifies the walls very agreeably and decently, but affords ifeful matter for meditation to the people, before the fervice begins; and may afford them useful admonition, when their eyes and thoughts 90 1. spd) Cic. pro Flacco. Hor. Od. 1. 2, 15. Sat. 1. 2. 2, 103, 104, 105. are H 1 are wandring in the courfe of it. For these reasons, I prefume, the 82d Canon directs, that fuch fentences be written in convenient places; and likewife, that the ten commandments be fet upon the caft end of every church and chapel: to which undoubtedly the creed and Lord's prayer, though not mentioned in the Canon, are very fit companions. You must also endeavour, that fuch care may be taken of the furni ture of the church, and whatever is ufed in it, as the Canons and Rubrics and the nature of the thing require: that the furplice be originally of proper linen, and kept clean, and renewed before it becomes con temptible by age: that the Bible and Prayer Books be whole and unful lied, and well bound: that the veffels for the celebration of both the facraments, and the cover of the holy table, but more especially the bread and wine placed upon it, be suitable in all refpects to the folemnity: not fuch as may give difguft to the more delicate, and tempt them to abhor, as the Scripture expreffion is, the offering of the Lord (g). Thefe are, in their kind, points of importance: and fuch as you may for the most part easily 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 yourselves, neat and decent: not turning in cattle to defile them and trample down the graveftones; and make confecrated ground fuch, as you would not fuffer courts before your own doors to be; but taking the profits of the herbage in fuch manner, as may rather add beauty to the place. And I hope, where a church-yard belongs to an impropriator, you will do your best to get the fame respect paid it; and to whomfoever it belongs, the fences well kept up. if, in any or all of the particulars, which I have fpecified, your representations will be lefs offenfively introduced, or your attempts be of more weight, for your being able to fay, that I directed you to make them, I do hereby direct you accordingly; and defire you to fay I did. Nor fhould you be contented with a tranfient mention of the fubject once or twice; but where there is any hope, return it on proper occafions, and try the force of modeft importunity. If, after competent trial, you find no effect, you must urge the church-wardens, to prefent what is amifs, if they will do no more. Indeed fuch things as belong to their own care, they fhould not prefent, but amend: and the Canons require, 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 furnishes room for admo nitions and injunctions. If there be need, here again you must encourage them to prefent, by engaging to plead their caufe with the parishioners. You may alfo fafely promife them, that they fhall fuffer no oppreffive or hard treatment, fhall not be required to lay out upon any thing more than is fitting, and shall have reasonable time allowed, even for that. I need not fay, that both to qualify yourfelves for preffing them to prefent, and on many other accounts, you must take effectual care, that nothing belonging to you be prefentable. Elfe they will have a ready answer for you: and it will be a fad thing to ftand in awe and be at the mercy of those, who ought to reverence you. If (g) 1 Sam. ii. 17. you cannot prevail prevail on them otherwife, I apprehend you may join with them; and if you cannot prevail on them at all, I apprehend you may prefent with out them, in the cafe of repairs, as well as offences, by virtue of the interpretation, which practice hath put on the abovementioned Canon: though it fpeaks, I own, expressly of nothing befides offences. But in doing either of these things, you must be fure to obferve the cautions given under the former head. Yet after all, I am well aware, that you may often have great diffi culties to encounter, poffibly fometimes too great to furmount. And to diminish them from you, I have endeavoured to procure a parochial vifitation from the Archdeacon, which he hath promifed. But then, for the credit of your parishioners and your own, let this be an induce ment to put things in good order, that he may find them fo: not to leave them in bad order, that he may rectify them. Another very useful inftitution, for thefe and many valuable purposes, was that of rural Deans: which took place here before the conqueft, was kept up till the great rebellion, was reftored afterwards in feveral Diocefes, and particularly in this by the admirable Bifhop Fell (b), was found not quite extinct and was completely revived by the late excellent Bishop of Glocester (i), in that county, and is preferved to this day in fome parts of the nation befides. These Deans, being chofen out of the refident parochial Clergy, could infpect, with fmall trouble, the churches and parishes within their feveral narrow diftricts; and being bound to report what they found amifs, could do it with little or no of fence. In the latter end of Queen Anne's, and the beginning of the late King's reign, the convocation made fome progress towards the re-esta blishment and better regulation of this office. When that, or any other branch of difcipline, may be the fubject of public confideration again, is very uncertain. I should be very glad, with your approbation, to set it up once more amongst us, in fuch form as might be most beneficial and fatisfactory: but contented at prefent with hinting the matter, I leave and recommend it to your serious thoughts. A third particular, of confiderable importance, in which you are jointly concerned with the church-wardens, is the keeping of the regis ter book. The 70th Canon directs, that it be of parchment: and though an act of Parliament, lately paffed, allows marriages to be re giftred in a paper book; yet parchment is far more durable: nor is the difference of expence worth regarding, as it returns fo feldom. This book should be ftrongly bound, and not over large; left it fhould be worn and damaged, before it is filled. For the fafe preservation of it, and doubtless of all preceding books of the fame kind, the Canon orders, that a cheft be provided 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 fhall be entred 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 minister or a church-warden fhould keep it: and each of them should see from time to time, how it is kept. The (b) Kennet. Paroch. Ant. p. 653. (i) Bishop Benfon. The entries, if they cannot well be made every Sunday, fhould be made very frequently, and in the mean time the minifter, if he hath not the book, fhould take memorandums. He is the person directed to write in it, and ufually much the fitteft. But if, through any accident, that happens not to be fo, he should appoint a proper perfon, and fuperintend him. The names and furnames of the parents ought to be added, in regiftring 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 will alfo be very useful, to put down the day of the birth and death of each perfon, as well as of the baptifm and burial. The late act above. mentioned hath directed farther, that every page of the regifter of marriages be numbered, to discover if any leaf be afterwards cut out; and ruled with lines at equal distances, to discover if any article be afterwards put in. And you will do very well to obferve the fame precautions in regiftring baptifms and burials. When a page is filled, the Canon requires the minifter and church wardens to fubfcribe their names; which they should do juft below the last line. And if this be not done imme→ diately, it may without any inconvenience be done foon after: and was done by me and the church-wardens, for many years, in one of the most populous parishes of the kingdom. Laftly the Canon requires, that an attefted copy of this book be annually tranfmitted to the Bishop's regiftry, received without fee, and faithfully preferved there: and it autho rizes me to proceed against 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 prefent register 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 exactnefs in the regifter of baptifms. That of marriages is of fo great concern, that altering it defignedly to establish or void a marriage, is by the act above mentioned made felony. In all cafes the book, faithfully kept, is good evidence: and falfifying it is punishable at common law. I would only obferve farther on this head, that in the preamble of a bill, which paffed the Houfe of Commons this laft feffion, and had a fecond reading in the House of Lords, it was afferted as notorious, that "great inconvenien❝ces have arifen from the prefent defective manner, in which parochial "regifters are formed; and the loofe and uncertain method, in which "they are kept and preferved; whereby the evidence of defcents is fre"quently loft and rendered precarious.' So far as this may be fact, it will be moft for our honour to amend it, without the interpofition of the legiflature. A fourth point, of which I hope you will think yourselves bound, if not by law, yet in confcience, to take a joint care with the church-wardens, is that of parochial charities. The minifter is the representative of the church, intrufted with its interefts; and you ought to endeavour, that fuch benefactions be first preserved, 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, or the fupport of a school in your parish, you will make proper inquiry concerning the matter. If it be given by any write ing, you will procure that writing, or an attefted copy of it, to be laid up fafely, either in the parish cheft, or the Bishop's registry; indeed a copy in each place would be beft; and an account of the gift fhould be inferted in your parish book. For if deeds are left in private hands and especially, without authentic notice where they are left, they are fometimes defignedly fuppreffed; and often undefignedly deftroyed or loft, through the ignorance or carelefinefs of the perfons poffeffed of them. It will also be very proper, to have a table, mentioning the charity, hung up in your church; that a grateful remembrance of the benefactors may be continued to pofterity, and others incited to follow their good example as a paper of directions drawn up by the lower houfe of convocation in 1710, hath well expreffed it (k). If the benefaction be an eftate vefted in truffees, it will be very material to get the truft renewed in due time; elfe in all likelihood there will be expence, if not danger; and to trustees of as good credit and ability, as poffible. They muft likewise be warned, never to let out fuch lands on long leafes, or at very low rents, in favour of any body: but to raise the rents when they can; at least to vary them, which will make it eafy to raise them, when there is opportunity: otherwife it will foon be pretended, that they have no right to raise them; of which there are fome unhappy inftances in this Diocefe. If the gift be in money, you must prefs to have it placed in the public funds, in cafe it be confiderable enough; or elfe in the best private hands, and on the beft fecurity that can be obtained; paying no regard in fuch cafes to perfonal friendships; and being particularly careful, that parish officers do not keep it in their own cuftody. If they do, the intereft will ufually be paid out of the public money, and moft probably the principal will be loft in a few years. J But charities are preferved in vain, unless they are well applied: and they are often fadly mifapplied. Gifts to the church, where it is not otherwife expreffed, must be fuppofed intended for beautifying the church; elfe it will be never the better for fuch gifts: for it will be equally repaired without them: the parishioners are bound to that: and the chief of the burthen ufually falls upon the richest, for whofe relief charities were certainly not intended. And yet fuch benefactions are too commonly employed, not only in mere repairs, but in what hath no connec tion with the fabric; in providing bread and wine for the communion in paying church-wardens bills for all forts of things, it may be for extravagant and riotous entertainments amongst the reft, in eafing the poors rates, in I know not what; and the church all the time, inftead of being any way improved, fuffered to grow dirty and even ruinous. A lamentable abuse of this kind, (where a fteeple 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 ufes) I have taken much pains to rectify, but fear it is not throughly rectified yet. Again, gifts to the poor were certainly intended for the benefit of the poor; to make provifion for fuch of them, as are not on the parish lift, or a better provifion for fuch as are. And yet they are fometimes embezzled and fquandered, in a great measure, if not wholly; fometimes beftowed to ferve private or party purpofes: and very frequently funk into the legal rate; fo the wealthy are benefited; and (k) See Wilkins, vol. iv. p. 638. the |