but a common fhare of prudence: we fhall, in fpite of enemies, through his mercy, who hath promifed to be with us alway (0), not fail of being upheld. The religious will esteem us very highly in love for our work's fake (p): the wife in their generation (4), though not religious, will perceive our importance: the vicious and deftitute of principle will be awed by us: and the feed of the word, however trampled under foot by fome, will fpring up and bear fruit in the hearts of many. Let us think then feriously, what depends on us, what it requires of us, and give ourfelves wholly to it (r). God hath placed us in a station of difficulty and labour, at prefent alfo of reproach and contempt from great numbers of men. But ftill, if we only learn to value our function juftly, and love it fincerely, we fhall be unfpeakably happier in discharging the duties of it, than we poffibly can be in any thing elfe. The things, in which the world places happiness, are very trifles. We may plainly fee them to be fuch now, if we will: and we fhall fee in a little time, whether we will or not, that the only real point of moment is, to have approved ourselves good and faithful fervants (s) to our great Mafter. Let us all therefore bear in mind continually, how matters will appear to us then: and heartily pray and earneftly endeavour, fo to pass through things temporal, that we finally lofe not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jefus Chrift's fake, our Lord (t).

The ARCHBISHOP being hindered by Illness from visiting them in Person.

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Reverend Brethren,

T having pleafed God that I fhould live to come amongst you 1a fecond time, I think it my duty to proceed with the fame kind **of exhortations, which I gave you at firft. For though many fubjects of inftruction might be proper, there is a peculiar propriety in thofe, which relate more immediately to your conduct: and though I might very justly give you, in general, praise instead of advice, yet they who deferve the most of the former, will be most defirous of the latter, knowing how much need of it the beft of us have. And I hope the freedoms which I fhall take with you in this refpect, will the rather be pardoned, as I both permit and intreat you to use the fame with me, when VOL. VI. occafion

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occafion requires it; being fincerely, difpofed, if I know myself, to fet you an example of docility.

I began with your obligation to refidence; and the appointment of curates, either to fupply your abfence when you could not refide, or to affift you when the work was too heavy for you. And then I entered a little into the common duties of incumbents and curates, in which I shall now make some further progrefs: more folicitous about the importance of directions, than the accuracy of method; and using no other apology, if I fhould happen to repeat what I have given you in charge already, than that of the Apoftle: To fay the fame things, to me is not grievous, and for you it is fafe (a).

The fame Apoftle's admonition to Timothy is, Take heed unto thyself, and to thy doctrine (b). The main point is what he begins with, the care of our temper and behaviour. For without that, our preaching will feldom be fuch as it ought, and fcarce ever bring forth its proper fruits. Now a Chriftian temper confifts of various parts: but the first impreffion, which a genuine faith in the Gospel makes on the foul, and the ruling principle, which it fixes there is a deep fense of love to God and our fellow-creatures, producing an earneft defire, that we and they may be for ever happy in his prefence. Whoever therefore is deftitute of this feeling, ought not, though free from grofs vices, to become a Clergyman and without obtaining it from the Giver of all good things by fervent prayer, no man is qualified to fill the place of one. For notwithtanding that he may preferve fome form of godliness, without, which he would be mischievous and fhocking in the higheft degree: yet not having the reality and power thereof (c), he muft profefs, and feemingly attempt, to-make others what he is far from being himfelf. Confequently his endeavours out of the pulpit will be infrequent, reluctant, faint and in it they will at beft be unnatural and ungraceful, whatever pains he may take in his compofitions, or whatever vehemence he may affect in his delivery. Hence, he will be diflatisfied within, detected and difefteemed by the judicious part of his hearers, and, of little ufe to the reft, if he is not even hurtful by mifleading them. Or whatever his cafe may be amongst men, his inward want of the piety, which he outwardly pretends to, muft render him uncommonly guilty in the fight of God. Heaven forbid, that I should have need to enlarge on fuch a character in this audience.

But have we not most of us caufe to apprehend, that our religious principles, though fincere, are not fufficiently exerted; and therefore produce not the fruit, which they might? Do we not rather take it for granted, that we approve ourselves to be duly in-earneft, than find on impartial examination, that we do? No man fhould rafhly fay or fur mife this of another: but every one fhould fearch home into it for himfelf. And we should attentively read the Scriptures, and the treatifes written by wife and good men concerning the duties of God's minifters: to fee if we are fuch as they describe, and stir up ourfelves to become fuch as we ought...

Good inclinations, thus excited, will not fail, through the affistance

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of Divine grace, of directing us into a fuitable conduct. And were a man, who confeffedly means well, to overdo à little fometimes, the rightness of his intention would plead his excuse very ftrongly. However we fhould carefully avoid extremes, even on the better fide: not give uncommanded demonftrations of our Chriftian zeal, when they will probably serve no good purpose, and be deemed oftentation, or turned into ridicule, or provoke ill humour; but reftrain, according as times and places and company may require, the fentiments which elfe we could be glad to utter. Only we must do this in such a manner, as not to tempt the most rigid profeffor of religion to imagine, or the moft profligate enemy of it to fuggeft, that we have little or none: but fhew our concern for it on every fit occafion, with full as much diligence, as we decline unfit ones. And here, I conceive, it is, that we of the Clergy are chiefly apt to fail. We do not always appear in the common intetcourfes of life, fufficiently penetrated with the importance of our function, or fufficiently affiduous to promote the ends of our miffion.

Too poffibly a great part of our people may like the lukewarm amongst us the better for resembling themselves, and giving them no uneafinefs en comparison, but feeming to authorize their indifference. But then, fuch of us can do them no good. Our example can teach them nothing beyond a little decent regularity, in which they will fancy they need not quite come up to us neither. Our fermons, and reading of prayers, they will confider only as matters of form: and finding in us hardly any thing at other times of what we exprefs at thefe, they will prefume, that our inward regard to it is not very great, and that they are not bound to have more. Therefore if they are pleafed with us, if they efteem us, while we continue to be of this turn, it must be for fomething foreign from our office, fomething of a middle, or it may be a blameable nature, not as teachers of the Gofpel: a character which they take us to lay aside as much as we well can. And fo the better they think of us, the more lightly they will think of our miniftry; till at length they join with those avowed Infidels. who boldly affirm, though often against their own confciences, that we believe not what we preach, elfe it would have more influence upon us.

Then, at the fame time, the right difpofitions of well inclined perfons will languifh and decay, for want of that countenance and affistance in ferious piety, which they should receive from their paftors. For if the tokens of our piety be confined to the church, they will be of little fervice either out of it, or in it. Or if fome good people suffer no harm themselves from our defects, they will fee with great forrow, that others do: all of them will be much readier to think the clerical order in ge-neral careless and light, if thofe are fo, of whom they fee moft: their ears will be open to the invectives, which artful or heated men are daily pouring forth against us: they will eafily be led to undervalue and mifconftrue the beft inftructions of thofe, with whom they are difgufted; and run after any teachers, who have the powerful recommendation, for it will always, and no wonder, be a very powerful one, of feeming more in earnest. The irregularities and divifions which have prevailed fo lamentably in our church of late, are greatly owing to an opinion, that we are ufually indifferent about vital inward religion. It is true, the

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spreaders

fpreaders of this imputation, which hath been monftroufly exaggerat ed, will have much to anfwer for: but fo fhall we alfo, unlefs we take the only way to filence it, by cutting off hereafter all occafion for it.

Now the first neceffary step to feem good is to be fo; for mere pretence will be feen through: and the next is, to let your light shine before men (d), in the faithful and laborious exercise of your function. Living amongst your parishioners, or as near them as may be: inquiring frequently and perfonally concerning the welfare and behaviour of thofe, with whom you cannot be ftatedly prefent; reverent and judicious reading of the prayers and leffons in your churches, inftructive and affecting fermons delivered with difcreet warmth, readiness to take extraordinary pains for the occafional affiftance of your brethren, diligence in forming the youth to a fenfe of their Chriftian duty, in bringing your people to the holy communion, and where it can be, to week-day prayers: all these things will tend very much both to your usefulness and your credit. Relieving or obtaining relief for fuch as are diftreffed in their circumftances hearing your people willingly and patiently, though perhaps low in rank or weak in understanding, when they would confult you upon any difficulty, and anfwering them with confideration and tendernefs: difpofing them to be vifited when fick, praying by them with fervency, exhorting and comforting them with fidelity, compaffion and prudence; and reminding them ftrongly, yet mildly, after their recovery, of their good thoughts and pnrpofes during their illness; will be further proofs, very beneficial and very engaging ones, of your seriousness: which however you must complete by going through every other office of religion with dignity. I will fpecify two.

One is that of baptifm: which, especially when administered in private houses without neceffity, is too often treated, even during the ad-ministration, rather as an idle ceremony than a Chriftian facrament: or however that be, is commonly close followed by very unsuitable, if not otherwise alfo indecent levity and jollity. Now in thefe circumftances it is highly requifite, that the minifter fhould by a due mixture of gravity and judgment fupport the folemnity of the ordinance; and either pre-. vent improprieties in the fequel, or if it be doubtful whether he can, excufe himself, with a civil intimation of the unfitnefs of them, from being prefent. The other inftance is, that of faying grace over our daily food which many, if not moft, of the laity have, with a profanenefs more than Heathenifh, laid afide: and I am forry to add, that fome of the clergy hurry it over fo irreverently, in a mutter or a whisper, fcarce, if at all, intelligible, that one might queftion, whether they had not better lay it afide too, which yet God forbid, than make it thus infignificant; and expofe to contempt an act of devotion, and themselves along. with it, as doing what they are afhamed of.

Indeed far from authorizing any flights of this fort by our example, and as it were our confent, we muft through our whole conversation steadily and refolutely, though with mildness and modefty, always keep up the honour of religion and our order, which is infeparable from our own: never fpeak a word, or use a gesture, which can with the leaft colour be interpreted, as if we had small regard to our profeffion, or exercifed

(d) Matt, v. 16.