injuriously deceived by them: and all the mischiefs, that follow from thence, will fit heavy one day on the deceivers. But, even exclufively of this great confideration, would you be chargeable with declaring a deliberate falfehood under your hand? Would you have unworthy men fill ecclefiaftical stations, and exclude their betters? Would you have your Bishop 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 fign teftimonials at random; how lamentable a fort of clergy it will produce; how dreadful an encouragement to wickedness and profanenefs it will prove. Remember alfo, that you exprefs in these inftruments, not what you charitably hope a perfon will be; but what you actually know he hath been: not what others tell you at the end of the time, for which you vouch; but what you have seen and heard through the courfe of it: fo that, if for a confiderable part of the three years, commonly specified, you have feen and heard nothing of him, for that part you can certify nothing about him. And remember laftly, that though the affirmation of a perfon's having lived piously, foberly and honeftly, comprehends a great deal, yet the concluding article, your belief of his fitness for what he defires, implies a great deal more. For let him be ever so good and even learned a man, he cannot be fit for a clergyman, and the care of a parish, without competent gravity and difcretion, and a voice and a manner fuitable to a public affembly of all which things they, that have had fome familiarity with him, are usually the best, if not the only judges. This part of the teftimonial therefore is highly neceffary: and every part of it must be well confidered, before it is given; and no regard paid to neighbourhood, acquaintance, friendfhip, compaffion, importunity, when they ftand in competition with truth. It may fometimes be hard for you to refufe 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 Bishop fhould be misled, the church of God injured, and the poor wretch himself affifted to invade facrilegioufly an office, at the thought of which he hath caufe to tremble. And if you fear he will be revenged on you for not yielding to him, this furnishes an additional reason for denying him: for will you, or can you, fay of fuch a one, that he is qualified to be a minifter of the Gospel any where? But if the perfons, to whom candidates apply, would only make it a rule to meet, and act jointly on the occafion, and keep fecret the particulars of what paffed, it might be unknown, from whom the denial proceeded. Or fuppofe it known, the refentment of fuch, as deferve to be refused, will feldom do a worthy man much hurt: and a number of such refufals will do the public unfpeakable good. Indeed the expectation of a refufal's following upon wrong behaviour will in a great degree prevent such behaviour, and turn this whole difficulty into a pleasure. But what is unavoidable with innocence, must be virtuously born: and instead of fubmitting to recommend unfit perfons, you ought, if others recommend them, which God forbid, to interpofe immediate cautions against the danger, in all flagrant cafes. Still not every paft fault, nor every prefent infirmity, fhould be alledged, or allowed, as an impediment. But into an office, the most important of all others, none should be admit→ ted, who are void of the proper fpirit, or a competent fhare of the needful qualifications for it: and the lefs, because, though we can refuse to ordain them, we often cannot keep them back from very unsuitable stations, when once they are ordained. After prefenting the title and teftimonials, whether for orders, a curacy, or a living, follows the examination. For though the teftimonial expreffes an opinion, that the perfon is qualified; which may be very useful, to reftrain fuch from applying, as are notoriously unqualified; yet we Bishops must not, especially in the cafe of orders, reft on a mere opinion; but affure ourfelves by a clofer trial, whether he hath fufficient knowledge of religion and the holy Scriptures to teach them in public, and apply them in private, and defend them againft oppofers: the two firit of which are abfolutely neceffary; the third, highly requifite. As therefore, on the one hand, I hope I never have been or fhall be over ftrict in this refpect, and rejecting candidates will give me almoft, if not quite, as much concern, as it can give them: fo on the other, I must adhere to my duty; against all folicitations of friends, and all intreaties of the parties concerned, who little think what they do, when they prefs into fuch an employment prematurely. I fhew my regard to you, when I exclude unqualified perfons out of your number: and I fhall never doubt your candid interpretation of my conduct; nor indeed your zeal to vindicate it, when you are acquainted with my reasons, which any of vou fhall, who hath caufe to afk them. But that no injuftice may be done to those whom I poftpone, any more than to myfelf: I beseech you to confider, and, if needful, to fay in their behalf, that though deficient in knowledge, they may have a goodness of heart, more valuable than the highest knowledge: though not qualified yet, they may be, foon; may already have made a good progrefs, though not a fufficient one; may indeed have more learning on the whole, than many who are admitted, only not have applied themselves enough to theological learning. Examination muft occafionally be repeated after perfons have been ordained. The 39th Canon requires it before inftitution to benefices: therefore furely it is advisable also before admiffion to curacies. A man, who was fit to be ordained, may yet have become fince, through negli gence, or bodily indifpofition affecting his mind, unfit to be employed s 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 fome times have mistaken, or been mifinformed and if he hath chanced to be too indulgent, the bad effects of his indulgence ought to be prevent ed. 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 a curate nominated hath been examined and approved, the next ftep is, to appoint him a falary. And here I am very fenfible, that what is far from a comfortable maintenance for life, may however be a toler able competency at firft: and likewise, that some benefices are so mean, and fome incumbents in fuch low circumftances, or burthened with fo numerous families, that they must be excufed, if they endeavour to get help help on as eafy terms, as they well can. But if any minister, who hath either a a large preferment, or two moderate ones, or a plentiful temporal income, tries to make a hard bargain with his brother, whom he employs; and is more folicitous to give the smallest falary poffible, than to find the worthiest perfon; 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 needless, that he, who doth little or nothing, fhould have a great deal more. For this reafon therefore, amongft incomparably weightier ones, it concerns you much, both to labour diligently, and to allow liberally. Accordingly I hope I fhall never have the difagreeable office thrown upon me of augmenting what is propofed, but the fatisfaction given me of confirming and applauding it." But befides making a reafonable allowance, the minifter of a parish ought to provide, with the kindeft attention in all respects, for the convenience and accommodation, 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 unwearied in that beft proof of his gratitude, a confcientious care of the fouls committed to him; not proportioning his diligence to the poor recompence paid him here, but to the unspeakable happiness reserved for good fhepherds hereafter. Indeed whether the principal or his reprefentative, or both refide, their industry and fervency and prudence will be the measure of their people's benefit, and their own final acceptance. If you content yourselves with a languid formal recital of ftated offices, and by indolence, or amufements, or business, or even ftudies, are loft to your parishioners, while you are in the midft of them, or by indifcretions in conversation, dress or demeanour, become difliked or defpifed by them, you may, in respect of any fpiritual usefulness to them or yourselves, be, almoft as well, perhaps better, ever fo far off. But this is no excufe for being abfent, but only a reafon for being present to good purpofe. And as the non-refidence of fome, the unactive refidence of others, and the offenfive conduct of a third fort, (which cause great forrow, but moderate complaints amongst wife and good people,) are favourite topics of invective against us, not only in the mouths of irreligious perfons, but of a new fect pretending to the stricteft piety; though we are bound always, we are peculiarly bound at prefent, to behave in fo exemplary a manner, as will cut off occafion from them which defire occafion to glory (c) of themfeives, and Ipeak evil of us. It is not rendring to them railing for railing (d); it is not ridiculing them, especially in terms bordering on profaneness, or affecting more gravely to hold them in contempt; it is not doing them the honour of mifcalling other perfons of more than ordinary seriousness by their name, that will prevent the continuance or the increase 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 parishioners with awakening, but rational and fcriptural, difcourfes, converfe much with them, as watchmen for their fouls (c) 2 Cor. xi. 12, (d) 1 Pet, iii. 9. fouls (e), be fober, grave, temperate, and fhew themselves in all things pats terns of good works (f). If the people fee, or but imagine, their minif ter unwilling to take more pains about them, or preferve more guard upon himself than for fhame he muft, no wonder if it alienates them powerfully both from him and his doctrine: whereas when they perceive him careful to instruct them, and go before them, in whatever is their duty to do, they will hearken to him with great regard, when he cautions them against overdoing; and be unlikely to feek for imaginary improvements abroad from irregularities and extravagances, whilst they experience themselves really improved at home in an orderly established method. But then, to improve them effectually to their future happiness, as well as to filence falfe accufers, you must be affiduous in teaching the principles, not only of virtue and natural religion, but of the Gofpel: and of the Gofpel, not as almost explained away by modern refiners, but as the truth is in Jefus (g); as it is taught by the church, of which you are members; as you have engaged, by your fubfcriptions and declarations, that you will teach it yourfelves. You must preach to them faith in the ever-bleffed Trinity and vindicate, when it is requifite, thofe parts of our Creeds and offices which relate to that article, from the very unjuft imputations of abfurdity and uncharitableness which have been caft upon them. You muft fet forth the original corruption of our nature; our redemption, according to God's eternal purpofe in Chrift (b), by the facrifice of the cross; our fanctification by the influences of the Divine Spirit; the infufficiency of our own good works, and the efficacy of faith to falvation: yet handling thefe points in a doctrinal, not controverfial manner, unless particularly called to it; and even then treating adverfaries with mildness and pity, not with bitterness or immoderate vehemence. The truth, 1 fear, is, that many, if not most of us, have dwelt too little on thefe doctrines in our fermons and by no means, in general,, from difbelieving 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 focial obligations; partly again from not having ftudied theology deeply enough, to treat of them ably and beneficially: God grant it may never have been for want of inwardly experiencing their importance. But whatever be the caufe, the effect hath been lamentable. Our people have grown lefs and lefs mindful, firft of the diftinguishing 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 effect their Creator, as well as their Redeemer and Sanctifier; feldom or never ferioufly worfhipping him, or thinking of the state of their fouls in relation to him; but flattering themselves, that what they are pleased to call a moral and harmless life, though far from being either, is the one thing needful. Reflections have been made upon us, of different natures, and with different views, on account of these things, by Deifts, by Papifts, by Brethren of our own, which it is eafy to fhew have been much too fevere. But (e) Heb. xiii. 17. (g) Eph. iv. 21. () Tit. ii. 2. 7. But the only complete vindication of ourselves will be to preach fully and frequently the doctrines, which we are unjustly accused of cafting off or undervaluing: yet fo, as to referve always a due fhare of our difcourfes, which it is generally reported fome of our cenfurers do not, for the com→ mon duties of common life, as did our Saviour and his Apoftles. But then we must enforce them chiefly by motives peculiarly Christian: I will not fay, only by fuch; for the Scripture adds others. And while we urge on our hearers the neceffity of univerfal holiness, we must urge equally that of their being found in Chrift; not having their own righteouf nefs, which is of the law, but the righteousness, which is of God by faith (i). Copious and interefting as the fubject is, I must now conclude. And I beseech you, Brethren, fuffer the word of exhortation (k): for I have spoken to you from the fimplicity of a plain heart, and the fincerity of a deep concern for the interefts of the church of Chrift, and the everlasting welfare of every one of you; not as condemning, not as difesteeming you, very far from it, but as being jealous over you with godly jealousy, and deeply affected with the prefent ftate of religion amongst us. Wickednefs, profanenefs, avowed infidelity, have made a dreadful progrefs in this nation. The civil power, in moft cafes, doth little to check that progrefs and it is an unhappiness in our moft happy conftitution, that it cannot eafily, if at all, do what one might wifh. Ecclefiaftical authority is not only too much limited, but too much despised, as matters now ftand amongst us, to do almost any thing to purpose. In the fmall degree, that it can be exerted ufefully, I hope it will, and promife my utmoft endeavours, in all cafes notified to me, that it fhall. But the main fupport of piety and morals confifts in the parochial labours of the Clergy. If our country is to be preserved from utter profiigateness and ruin, it must be by our means: and, take notice, we cannot lofe our influence, but in a great measure by our own fault. If we look on what we are apt to call our livings only as our livelihoods, and think of little more than living on the income of them according to our own inclinations: if for want of a good confcience, or faith unfeigned (1), we forfeit the protection of God; and by worldlinefs, or indolence, or levity in behaviour, talk or appearance, (for grofs vices I put out of the queftion) lofe, as we afluredly fhall, the reverence of mankind: there will be no foundation left for us to ftand upon. Our legal establishment will shake and fink under us, if once it can be faid we do the public little fervice, and much fooner if we are fufpected of difquieting it. Wicked people 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 worst. It is a small thing to be judged of man's judgment: He, that judgeth us, is the Lord (m). But while we teach the genuine truths of the Gofpel, and evidently feel the truths we teach; and are more anxious about the fouls of men, than our own profit, or pleasure, or power; while we fubmit ourselves dutifully and affectionately, (as we never had greater caufe) to the King and thole who are put in authority under him: lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honefty ("); and join with our piety and loyalty and virtue, (i) Phil. iii. 9. (k) Heb. xiii. 22. but |