every place, to whom parents might be induced, at least if fomething were contributed towards it, to fend their children to be inftructed thus far. Or at the worst, they who cannot read might eafily by degrees learn fo much as the catechifm by heart: especially as the three main parts of it are in every Sunday's prayers. The incapacity of reading was almoft general at the time of the reformation: yet even in those days the clergy were able to teach firft parents and houfholders, then by their means children and fervants, the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments: and afterwards the rest of the catechifm. Now fince that grofs darkness hath been fo far enlightened, it cannot be impracticable to difpel the remains of it.

After due inftruction follows confirmation: an appointment derived down from Apoftolical practice; and of such acknowledged usefulness that in the times of confufion, a hundred years ago, when bishops were rejected, fome of their adverfaries took upon them to perform this part of their function: and within these few years the church of Geneva hath restored it in the best manner their form of church government will admit, and added an office for it to their liturgy. In our own church the ancient efteem of this inftitution is, generally fpeaking, fo well preferved, that I hope the defire of being confirmed may not a little ftrengthen that of being inftructed as the only way to it. And yet I muft obferve, that the numbers from fome parifhes have been in proportion very fmall. This may not have arifen from any neglect in the minifter: but as it ought to incline me to make the opportunities of confirmation as convenient as I am able; fo it ought to incline you, agreeably to the nature of your function, and the exprefs direction of the 61ft Canon, to use your beft endeavours, that your parishioners may gladly take thofe opportunities. Yet I must intreat you to endeavour at the fame time, that none be brought, but those who, to speak in the language of the Rubric, are come to years of difcretion, who have learnt, not the words only, but, in a competent degree, the meaning of what was promised for them in baptifin; who can fay with ferioufnefs and truth, (what furely elfe they ought not to fay at all,) that in the prefence of God and the congregation they ratify and confirm the fame in their own perfons; and who therefore are likely to have ufeful and lafting impreffions made, on them by this folemnity. Undoubtedly fome arrive at this capacity fooner than others, and therefore I have mentioned the age of fourteen, not with a design of abfolutely tying you down to it; but as being, for the most part, full early enough; and that, where you fee it requifite, you may, without giving offence yourselves, oppose my order to the indifcreet forwardness of parents; whom however, I hope, it will make eafy, to affure them, as I give you authority, that fo long as it pleafes God to continue my health and ftrength, confirmations fhall be frequent in every part of this Diocese. I muft alfo defire that you will carefully inftruct those whom you do bring, in the whole nature of the inftitution, and particularly in this, amongst other more important points, that they are never to be confirmed any more than baptized a second time: that you will direct them to make the proper anfwers audibly through the whole of the office, which many of them feem to have no notion of, though it is fo neceffary in the nature of the thing, and tends fo much both to fix their atten

tion, and to give the folemnity a decent and edifying appearance. You will caution them likewife not to crowd forward and incommode each other, ufing this argument for one, that the whole number who come in at the fame time will be difmiffed at the fame time alfo and lastly you will prefs it strongly upon their minds, that what they promise at their confirmation, they are to remember and keep to their lives end:wI have already defired of you, on thefe occafions, a lift of fuch as you judge qualified; that fo the numbers and perfons may be known: of this you would do well to keep a copy yourselves, and if it were written alphabetically, both you and I should be able to confult it upon the fpot more easily. For the abovementioned Canon, the 61ft, plainly directs your attendance along with your parishioners; to take efpecial care (for fo the words run) that none be prefented but fuch as you know are fit. And as your being prefent to approve or difapprove muft needs increase your influence and authority amongst your people; it muft likewife make the discharge of my duty fo very much eafier and more useful, that I beg you will never let me be without your affiftance in this work, as you fhall never be without mine in any thing. And for this purpose when confirmations are on a Sunday, which is the time I fhall ufually pitch upon, for the convenience of the people, excepting at the places of my vifitation, you may omit for that day the morning or the evening prayers as you fee occafion. I have not indeed hitherto been able to effect, what would greatly fhorten your labour, calling up your several parishes in their order separately. But I fhall be very glad to do it, as foon as ever you can introduce this order amongst them, which I earnestly recom mend to you and I hope a continued frequency of confirmations will foon make that feasible without difficulty here, which is now practised conftantly in the populous cities of London and Westminster.

From confirmation perfons ought to be led on, if poffible, before the impreffions of it are much weakened, to the holy facrament: and it is one material reason why confirmation fhould not be too early, that with a little farther inftruction given foon after it, you may eafily bring them, fuch as they ought to be, to the Lord's table: which inay prove a much harder matter, when once they have been a good while out of your hands. The small proportion of communicants which I find there is in most of your congregations, and very fmall in fome, muft undoubtedly (as this ordinance is appointed for all Chriftians, and for a ftanding means of grace to all) be a fubject of very great concern to you. And though it is too true, that the generality of the world, and perhaps the lower fort beyond others, are incredibly obftinate in their prejudices, especially in fuch as at all favour corrupt nature: yet our complaining of thefe prejudices is not enough; but labouring to overcome them is our business, and we are not to grow weary of it. Some imagine that the facrament belongs only to perfons of advanced years, or great leifure, or high attainments in religion, and is a very dangerous thing for common perfons to venture upon. Some again difregard it ftupidly, because others, they fay, who do receive are never the better for it; or because their friends before them, or their neighbours about them never received at all, or not till fuch an age: and why fhould they? You will therefore represent to them, that whoever receives without benefit, it is his own B 2

fault;

fault; and that how many foever omit it either for part of their lives or the whole, not their example but the word of God is the rule for Chriftians: that far from being a terrible or enfnaring inftitution, it is in reality a moft gracious one: defigned to be celebrated with humility indeed, but with comfort and joy: that all the preparation it requires is within the reach of the plaineft head and the most laborious hand, provided there be only an honeft and pious heart, and that the judgment which unworthy receivers eat and drink to themselves, needs no more affright those whom God in his mercy will confider as worthy; as he certainly will every true penitent; than the capital punishments, threatened by the law to crimes, make innocent perfons uneafy: that he whofe life unfits him for the facrament, is unfit for the kingdom of heaven alfo ; and he, who being qualified for it, neglects it, neglects a dying command of his Lord and Saviour, intended for the greatest good to him. But your public inftructions on this head will be much more effectual for being followed by seasonable private applications: in which you will hear and answer their objections, be they of ever fo little weight, with great meekness; not be provoked by any perverfenefs of theirs to fhew anger, but only a friendly concern; and even if you meet with an abfolate repulfe, leave them with an affurance that you fhall apply to them again, in hopes that God will have difpofed them better to obey his precepts.

But befides increafing the number of your communicants, it were very defirable, that they who do communicate fhould do it more frequently. In the three first centuries the eucharift was every where celebrated weekly, and in many places almoft daily. Decay of piety occafioned an injunction in the fixth, that every Chriftian fhould receive thrice in the year; which was reduced in the thirteenth, perhaps with a bad intention, to once. Our church requires thrice at the leaft: which evidently implies, that more than thrice is hoped for. And indeed each perfon will icarce be able to communicate fo often unless the communion be adminiftered oftener. But befides, it is appointed to be every Lord's day in cathedral and collegiate churches, and part of the office for it is read every Lord's day in every church, for an admonition of what it were to be wifhed the people could be brought to. This indeed at best must be a work of time: but one thing might be done at prefent in all your parifhes, as God be thanked, it is in moft of them: a facrament might eafily be interpofed in that long interval between Whitfuntide and Chriftmas and the ufual feafon for it, about the feaft of St. Michael, (when your people having gathered in the fruits of the earth have some rest from their labours, and muft furely feel fome gratitude to the Giver of all good) is a very proper time. And if afterwards you can advance from a quarterly communion to a monthly one, I make no doubt but you will. Upon this fubject I muft obferve to you farther, that though in one or two parishes of this Diocese the old cuftom is retained, of oblations for the minifter, as well as aims for the poor, to both which the fentences appointed to be read are plainly adapted: yet in many parishes there is no offertory at all: though it be certainly a practice of primitive antiquity, a moft proper admonition and fpecimen of charity; which I fear the generality of Chriftians much want to be reminded of; a most feasonable

feasonable demonftration of our loving our brethern for his fake, who hath loved us; and a thing exprefsly enjoined in the Rubric of the com munion office. Why therefore fhould you not attempt to revive it, where it hath been intermitted? Merely prefenting to perfons an opportunity of giving if they think fit, and only what they think fit, can furely, (if the reafons of it be explained to them beforehand) never keep any one away from the facrament. But then, though all who have not ab folutely nothing, ought undoubtedly to contribute their mite, yet no difagreeable notice should ever be taken of any, for giving but little or not giving at all; and whatever is collected, fhould be difpofed of, fo that all perfons may know it, with the greatest faithfulnefs, prudence, and impartiality.

Another part of Divine worship, concerning which I think it needful to fpeak, is pfalmody: a part clearly appointed in Scripture, both expreffive and productive of devout affections, extremely well fitted to diverfify long services, and peculiarly to distinguish the feveral parts of our own, which were originally feparate. Our ecclefiaftical laws do not indeed require it under any penalty: because there may not every where be perfons qualified to perform it decently. But wherever there are, the Rubric makes provifion for it, and I recommend to you that it be not omitted. You will always endeavour that your parish-clerks be perfons of discretion as well as skill and ferioufnefs. But however you will be much furer of no impropriety happening in this part of the worship, if you either direct them every Sunday to fuitable pfalms, or affign them a courfe of fuch to go orderly through. And unless the generality of your parishioners are provided with books and able to make ufe of them; ordering each line to be read, will both fecure a greater number of fingers and be very inftructive to many who cannot fing. All perfons indeed who are by nature qualified ought to learn, and conftantly join to glorify him that made them, in pfalms and fpiritual fongs. This was the practice of the early Chriftians: it was reftored very juftly at the reformation, and hath declined of late, within most of our memories, very unhappily. For the improvements made by a few in church-mufic, were they real improvements, will feldom equal the harmony of a general chorus; in which any leffer diffonances are quite loft: and it is fomething inexpreffibly elevating, to hear the voice of a great multitude, as the voice of many waters and of mighty thunders, to fpeak in the words of Scripture, making a joyful noise to the God of their falvation, and finging his praifes with understanding. Perfons of a ludicrous turn may reprefent every thing in a wrong light but thofe of any ferioufness, if they will lay afide falfe delicacy, and that prepofterous fhame of religious performances, with which the prefent age is fo fatally tainted, will find themfelves very piously affected only by hearing this melody, much more by bearing a part in it: and therefore I beg you will encourage all your parifhioners, efpecially the youth, to learn pfalmody; and excite them, if there be need, with fome little reward: for you will thus make the fervice of God abundantly more agreeable, and their attendance on it more conftant. But then, where any knowledge of the old common tunes remains, you should endeavour principally that your learners may perfect themselves in thefe; that fo they may lead and affift the rest of the congregation,

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gregation, who fhould always join with them: or if you must admit a mixture of new and uncommon tunes, it fhould be no greater than you find yourfelves in prudence abfolutely obliged to. Elfe the confequence will be, what I fear many of you have experienced, that either one part of your people wil refent being unjustly filenced, and this by the introduction of tunes often not fo good as their former ones, and fo your parifh will be divided and unealy: or if they agree to the change ever fo generally and like it ever fo well, yet your felect fingers will either be weary in a while of what only novelty recommended to them, or grow conceited and ungovernable, or die off, or be difperfed, and the congregation will be left unable to fing in any manner at all. Where indeed the newer tunes have quite blotted out the memory of the old ones, all you can do is to make use of what you find in ufe, to get fome of the eafieft of them learnt as generally as you can, and keep to these. And if, in order to inftruct your people in either way of finging, meetings to practife out of church time be requifite, you will keep a ftrict watch over them, that they may be managed with all poffible decency, and never continued till candle-light, if they confift of both fexes. You will likewife difcountenance, at least, all frequent meetings, between the fingers of different parishes, and making appointments to fing alternately at one anothers churches: for this wandering from their own, which by law they ought to keep to, ufually leads them into exceffes and follies.

I am very fenfible, that fome of the things which I have been mentioning, are by no means of equal importance with others. But nothing is without its importance, that relates to Divine worship. The mere outward behaviour of thofe who attend upon it is of fuch use, and good influence, that I must defire you will be diligent in teaching them, (but fo as to perfuade, not provoke them) what reverence belongs to the house of God particularly how very wrong it is to fit inftead of kneeling when "they are or fhould be addreffing themfelves to their Maker, and to fhew How indecent that appearance is of difregard to him, which they would not ufe on any account to one of their fellow-creatures a little fuperior to themselves. If you could only breed up the younger to a right behaviour in this refpect, your congregations would grow regular in time. But mild expoftulations will furely in fo plain a cafe produce fome effect upon the rest alfo, which will be much facilitated if you take care that proper conveniences for kneeling be provided for them. And if you could convince them also that standing is a more reverent pofture to fing pfalms to God in, as well as to read thein, than fitting, you would come fo much the nearer to the Apoftolical rule of doing all things decently. For as fome of the pfalms contain the nobleft acts of adoration, furely they ought not to be fung in a pofture unfit to exprefs it. Another thing, and no finall one, which I believe many of your parishioners often want to be admonished of, is to come before the fervice begins. Undoubtedly allowance is to be made for neceffary, efpecially unforeseen, business, and fome allowance for not knowing the time exactly but I hope you will obviate both thefe pleas as far as you can, by confulting their convenience in the hour you fix, and then keeping punctually to it. And at the fame time you will remind them, that a due degree of zeal in re