Two letters of advice I. For the susception of Holy Orders, II. For studies theological, especially such as are rational : at the end of the former is inserted a catalogue of the Christian writers, and genuine works that are extant of the first three centuries.

Letter I. (Book 1)

A Letter of Advice to a young Student designing the Susception of HOLY ORDERS. (Book 1)

SIR,

I. HAving got that opportuni∣ty [ I] of fulfilling your Re∣quests since your depar∣ture, which I wanted when you were present; (because, besides the gravity of the Subject whereon you have employed me, and my own natural aversness from such insignificancies, and the necessi∣ty now, if ever, of plain dealing; I believe your self would rather have it bestowed on material Advi∣ces, ••••an empty Complements;) I shall therefore, like the downright and truly just Areopagites, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, make use of it, without

any further Ceremonial Addresses.

[ II] II. First therefore, when you de∣sire Advice for your Behaviour in that holy Function you design to un∣dertake; I hope you do not intend that I should be prolix in insisting on particulars. For both that has alrea∣dy been performed at large by ma∣ny others (particularly you may, if you please, consult our late Excel∣lent Vice Chancellour's Visitation Rules* 1.1, where you will find most Capacities provided for, or, among the Ancients, who usually speak more from the heart, and experience of Piety, than our Modern, though otherwise more accurate, Authors, St. Chrysostome de Sacerdotio, or St. Gre∣gories Pastoral, or St. Hieroms 2d. E∣pist. ad Nepotianum: entire Treati∣ses concerning it, though some of them more peculiarly relate to the Episcopal or Sacerdotal Order) and my own little experience in the world, and none in the circumstan∣ces considerable in managing a Cle∣rical Life, may sure be sufficient to excuse me from such a Task; besides

that it must needs prove both tedi∣ous and burthensom to your memo∣ry, and intricate to your prudence, to make application of innumerable Rules to circumstances yet more infi∣nite that can never be foreseen. My design therefore shall be, onely to propound such Advices as may capa∣citate you for the discharging of your Function to the advantage of the Publick where you shall be en∣trusted, as well as your own Soul, and enable you more advantagiously to judge concerning particulars, than you can by Rules; and those ground∣ed on such sure Principles, and such excellent ancient Precedents, as that, I hope, you shall have no reason to complain that they are unpractica∣ble, because they are not calculated from present experience.

III. To which purpose, before [ III] you are actually Ordained (if you be not already) I must conjure you by all that is dear unto you, to con∣sider what it is, and with what de∣sign you undertake it? That, as it is indeed the nob••est employment to

be subservient to the Supreme Go∣vernour of the World, in order to his principal designs, to which the World it self, and consequently the vastest Empires and the greatest Princes, and whatever else is count∣ed glorious in the esteem of inconsi∣derate Mortals, are subordinate by God himself in a capacity as ignoble as is that of the Body to the Soul; so, the hazard is proportionable: the miscarriage of those noble beings for whose redemption nothing but the blood of God was thought suf∣ficiently valuable; and consequent∣ly accountable according to the esti∣mate God himself has been pleased to impose upon them: that there∣fore you remember that you stand in need of greater natural Abilities and providential Auxiliaries, as it is more difficult to take care of a mul∣titude, than of a single person; that if supernatural assistances be neces∣sary for the salvation of the most able private person, much more they must be so to one not pretending to the greatest abilities in a personal re∣gard

when engaged in publick; that ••herefore you never venture on it without probable presumption of the Divine assistance; that that cannot possibly be presumed if it be under∣taken rashly (God never having promised to succour us in dangers voluntarily incurred by our selves) that it is rash if undertaken without a Call from God; (I hope you will not understand me of an Enthu∣siastical unaccountable one, but a ra∣tional and providential, which you may observe the* 1.2 Church her self to have ta∣ken care of in the very Of∣fice of Ordination) that you cannot prudently presume a Call but upon these princi∣ples: that you are princi∣pally created for the Divine Service in the improvement of Mankind; that you are engaged in Gratitude to perform your Duty in it for the many benefits by him conferred on you;* 1.3 that you cannot approve your self grate∣ful

unto him unless you love him, nor veraciously pretend to love him unless you most desire what you con∣ceive most pleasing to him; whence it will follow that you must addict your self to that course of life which is most pleasing to him, if you find your self qualified for it, for this is the onely truly rational Providen∣tial Call, which can without Enthu∣siasme be expected and judged of. Now these qualifications must be a pure intention, natural abilities, and a firm immoveable resolution; for if any of these be wanting, you can never be secure of your own endea∣vour, much less of the Divine assist∣ance, for avoiding so imminent a dan∣ger.

[ IV] IV. But because I am not consi∣dering these Qualifications under a meerly natural or moral notion, but as they may ingratiate you with God, and so intitle you to that assist∣ance, without which, as has been shewed, you cannot securely venture on a state of life so extremely dan∣gerous; I conceive it therefore ne∣cessary

to warn you what it is you may safely trust in this enquiry. First therefore, for the purity of your de∣signs, you may observe that purity implies a freedom from mixture of what is more base with what is more noble, whether that which is base be predominant or onely equal. And therefore that your designs may be pure, you must take care that 1. You design this course of life for those ends alone, which indeed do onely render it worthy being designed by you upon a rational account; for this must needs be that which is most excellent. 2. That you do not de∣sign this most excellent for any thing less excellent as a more ultimate end: Nay, 3. That you do not de∣sign any thing less excellent as an end even coordinate with the more excellent, but onely as subordinate. The latter points are those wherein you may be most easily mistaken, and wherein it will be most difficult to satisfie your self of your own since∣rity. At present you may take this Rule: if you find your self so af∣fected

with the less noble end as that without it you have reason to think that you should not undertake such a difficult duty for the more noble end alone, you have reason to suspect that the more noble end is onely subordinate, and the less noble truly ultimate; and if you find that your desires of the less noble end are such, as that, if you should fail of it, you would find less complacency in your duty, though you were sure thereby to attain that which is sup∣posed more noble, you will have rea∣son to suspect your designs of the less noble end to be, at least, partial and coordinate. Both designs are sinful; but with this difference: that the designing the more noble end for the less noble, argues the Will per∣fectly depraved, and implies no voliti∣on, but onely a ve••••eity, for that which is more noble, and therefore can no way entitle such a person to the Di∣vine favour; but the making the less noble end coordinate, argues in∣deed a volition, but so imperfect, as cannot move the Divine favour, who

cannot choose but take ill such a dishonourable Competitor, and who will by no means yield any of his ho∣nour to another; nay, who has fur∣ther declared it his pleasure, either to have the whole heart, or none; who will by no means partake with his Adversaries, but nauseates and abhors the lukewarm person. But though, where this is expresly de∣signed, it can no way deserve his love, yet, where it is irreptitious and by way of surprize, it may, at least, in∣cline his pity, upon the same account as other sins of infirmity, to which the ordinary life of Mankind is sup∣posed obnoxious, and for which al∣lowances are made in the very stipu∣lations of the Gospel. Yet will not this consideration suffice to excuse your neglect of it; for both, negli∣gence will make it cease to be a sin of infirmity; and besides the conse∣quences of it (whatever the occasion may be) are so pernicious, as may make you either less serviceable in your office, or less acceptable in your performances of it; and are there∣fore,

with all possible caution, to be avoided.

[ V] V. But that I may descend, and speak more plainly and particularly to your case; you may perceive that that which onely renders the Cleri∣cal Calling rationally desireable, is that to which it is upon a rational account useful, which can be nothing in the world (the design of this Calling being to teach men how to despise and easily to part with all such things the World calls good) but onely the service of God in a peculiar manner; and that this ser∣vice is to fulfill his Will as far as you are capacitated for it by this Cal∣ling, which onely aims at the sa••vati∣on of the souls of mankind. Be sure therefore that the service of God, and the salvation of souls be intirely your design. And do not trust your saying so, but make some experiment of your affections; for it is by their habitual inclinations, and not by some warm lucid intervals of reason, that your course of life is like to be determined; and you are to remem∣ber,

that your choice is irrevocable, which must oblige you to a serious consideration of what you do before you undertake it. Place therefore your self by frequent meditation in such circumstances wherein no other end were attainable. Suppose the Church were in a state of persecuti∣on, which is not onely the warning, but also the promise, of the Gospel; or that your flock were assaulted by the malice of any cruel, or the scandalous example of any great, but powerful, sinner; or many other such hazardous cases which may fall out though the Church be countenanced by the saecular Government; would you here follow the example of the truea 1.4 shepherd, or the hireling? Could you by your own example let your flock understand that your self did seriously believe what your Calling must have obliged you to have taught and urged to them: Thatb 1.5 the world and all its al∣lurements and menaces are to be despi∣sed, thatc 1.6 all things are to be ac∣counted loss and dung for the excellen∣cy

of the knowledge of the cross; that d 1.7 tribulations upon this account were glorious, ande 1.8 being count∣ed worthy to suffer for the name of Christ peculiarly honourable; thatf 1.9 persecutions and reproaches, and bitter calumnies suffered for so good a cause were matter of exultation and exceed∣ing joy? Could you even in these difficulties repeat your choice if it were reiterable? Or, if you were desporate of any other portion in this life, would you not either wish it undone, or even actually undo it if you could with honour? Do not think this case Romantick even now; for both this will be the securest way of passing a faithful judgment concerning your own temper, especi∣ally of that which is necessary for this Calling; and this is one of the chief duties and uses of the calling it self, that you be readyg 1.10 to assist your flock in the time of necessity, andh 1.11 to lay down your life for them, when it might prove for their advantage; and, believe it how pro∣sperous soever you may fancy Chri∣stianity

to be among us, you would find it to be actually true, in a high degree, by the odium you must needs incur by a conscientious discharging of your duty: in admonishing scan∣dalous persons, openly, and others, secretly, of their Vices, and suspend∣ing such as would shew themselves incorrigible from the communion; in freely, and sometimes openly, rebu∣king the great ones as well as the mean, nay sometimes more, inasmuch as their example is more pestilential; in generally weakning the hands and hearts, and disappointing the de∣signs, of impious persons, by shaming them out of countenance, by redu∣cing their companions, and generally awing them by a constantly grave and severe behaviour.

VI. And by this experiment you [ VI] may also perceive whether any less noble end be ingredient in your de∣signing this Calling: whether it be to gratifie the humours of your Friends, or a vainglorious shewing of your parts, or a more honourable condition of life even in this world,

or a more plentifull maintenance, or a politick design of making your self considerable in gaining a party for your own designs, though, I con∣fess, the humour of our Protestant Laity is generally so self-confident, and so little dependent on their Mi∣nisters (if they do not despise them) as that this last Temptation cannot now be very dangerous. For if you can as cheerfully serve God in the absence of these temporal encou∣ragements as with them; if you can for your own sake patiently bear with the succeslesness of your per∣formances, and satisfie your self in the conscience of having performed your duty; if you be as industrious and careful of a Cure less temporal∣ly advantagious, as of one that is more, and of persons that cannot, as well as of those that can, reward you; if you know, with the Apo∣stle, how to be abased, as well as how to abound; if you can praise God as cheerfully in a low, as in a prosperous condition; nay more, as having then a title to many blessings of which

your prosperous condition is unca∣pable; if you can find your affecti∣ons so disintangled from the World, that you are, likei 1.12 St. Paul, care∣less of living, upon your own ac∣count, but onely for the Divine Ser∣vice; then indeed, and not till then, you may be securely confident of the integrity of your intentions, and venture your self in this warfare, as the Clerical Calling is expresly called by St. Paul, 2 Tim. II. 3, 4. And as it were certainly most secure that your affections were thus gene∣rally alienated from these more ig∣noble designs, that you may satisfie your own conscience of your own freedom from the suspition of them; so, because the heart is so intolerably deceitful as that its inclinations can∣not be certainly discerned till the objected be vested with advantagious particular circumstances; and these cannot be so prudently foreseen in general; it will, at least, concern you to make the experiment full in such cases as you are by your own incli∣nations obnoxious to, and whose cir∣cumstances

may very probably and frequently occur, and therefore may rationally be expected. Remember that this enquiry be performed, as in the sight of God, to whom you must return an account of this Stew∣ardship, and whom it is impossible to deceive; and for your own sake, whose interest is not meanly, but, greatly and eternally, concerned in it: not onely for your personal pre∣judice which you may incur by your imprudence herein, but also those mischievous consequential miscarria∣ges, which will involve you deeply in the guilt of the ruine of as many Souls as shall be engaged therein by the example, or imprudence, or neg∣ligence of their guide, who should have been exemplary to them. It were well if you made this the sub∣ject of a Communion-exercise before you take Orders; for when you have devested your self of all world∣ly designs, and have God alone be∣fore your eyes, and spiritual conside∣rations; and have acknowledged your own insufficiency to discern the

deceitfulness of your heart, and have therefore humbly implored the Divine assistance, and intirely placed your confidence in him, and his in∣spirations, not extraordinary and En∣thusiastical, but, Providential and moral: That he may be pleased to clear your understanding from all prejudices of your will; that to your understanding, thus prepared, he would suggest the securest mo∣tives; that he would enable you with a prudent and distinguishing spirit in passing your judgment, and making your election of them; when, I say, you have done all this, you will then have the greatest moral proba∣bility that is possible, that your judgment (if you can satisfie your self of your sincerity in observing these Rules) is the judgment of right Reason, and consequently, in the way we are now speaking of, the Will of God.

VII. But neither is this purity of [ VII] design alone sufficient (unless you have abilities for it) either to pre∣sume a Call from God, or to ven∣ture

securely and prudently on it. Not the former; for Gods designing men for particular Callings, is, in a Providential way, to be concluded from his gifts, which are the talents he intrusts us with, and therefore obliges us to improve, and that after the most advantagious way; so that where God has given natural gifts peculiarly fitting a person for a par∣ticular Calling, and where it is with∣all evident, that either they fit him for no other Calling, or, at least, not so advantagiously, or to a Calling not so advantagious; there, if he follow the dictate of right Reason (which is the onely Providential voyce of God) he must needs conclude him∣self in prudence obliged to follow this, rather than any other. But you may be here mistaken, if you consi∣der either your Gifts, or your Cal∣ling, partially. Your Gifts you are to consider universally, in regard of themselves, or their effects, which may with any great moral probabili∣ty be foreseen, whether natural, or accidental: whether, as some of your

Gifts do fit you for the Clerical Calling, so, they may not equally fit you for another? whether, if they fit you onely, or peculiarly for this, yet, you may not have other qualifications that may make it dan∣gerous? whether, if you have such as may render it dangerous, the dan∣ger be greater, or more probable to come to pass, than the advantage? whether, if you have none, yet, you have not onely some, but all, the qua∣lifications for this Calling? whether, if some be wanting, they be either fewer, or less considerable than those you have? So also, concerning the Calling it self, you are to consider whether, all things being allowed for, it be likely to prove more ad∣vantagious, or disadvantagious, to you? whether it be more necessary, or onely more convenient? whether, if more necessary▪ it be also more se∣cure, especial••y in regard of your greater interest••? And concerning all these enqui••es, you may fall into great mistakes, if you have not be∣fore rectified your intention, and so

fixed on a right end, from whence you may deduce faithful measures o•• things. It will therefore here con∣cern you to use all possible prudence and caution; and you cannot be ex∣cused if you use less than you would in a case wherein all your secular fortunes and your life it self were deeply hazarded, seeing these things are incomparably less trivial.

[ VIII] VIII. I hope you will not so far suspect me of Pelagianism as to put me to the trouble of an Apology for calling these qualifications natural. My meaning is not, that these natu∣ral qualifications alone are sufficient for discharging the Clerical Cal∣ling? Or, that those Auxiliaries that are superadded are onely natural; but onely, that all superadded Aux∣iliaries are grounded on the im∣provement of such as are natural, not as merits rigorously obliging God in point of Justice, but as mo∣tives mercifully perswading and in∣ducing him, who is of himself alrea∣dy munificent; so that the principal and original ground of expecting

these supernatural Auxiliaries, which can onely be hoped for by them who are peculiarly called, can ante∣cedently (as it is plain that the ground of their hope must be ante∣cedent) be grounded on nothing but what is natural. To let this therefore pass (that this whole Dis∣course may be deduced home to your case) it will be necessary to shew what these qualifications are, which will best be understood by their accommodation to the design for which you intend them. That therefore I suppose to be the taking of a particular charge upon you of the souls of a particular Congrega∣tion; so that according to the seve∣ral wayes of the miscarriage of such souls, you ought to be contrarily qualified for their security. And the miscarriage of their souls being oc∣casioned by their non performance of their duty, your qualifications must consist in such requisites as may in∣duce them to that performance. And these will, in general, be reduced to two heads: such as may be necessary

for informing them in their duty, and such as may induce them to practice it•• for in both these put together their security does adaequately consist. And in order to these two ends you must be endued with two requi∣sites: knowledge, for convincing their understandings; and prudence, for perswading their wills. By knowledge I do not so much mean that which is Speculative and Schola∣stical, as that which is more immedi∣ately Practical. For I suppose your charge to consist principally of the illiterate multitude, and that if you have any intelligent learned Laick that may be capable of higher things, yet that it is more rare and casual; and that in these qualificati∣ons, I am speaking of, we are not so much to consider what is rare and extraordinary, as what is frequent and usual; what is useful and convenient, as what is absolutely necessary. For both those extraordinary occasions cannot so much oblige to a peculiar provision, especailly in those multi∣tudes which are necessary for these

services of the Church, all which cannot be expected capable of them; and those cases, being extraordina∣ry, may be supplied by a few peculi∣arly gifted that way, seeing it is Gods usual way thus to distribute those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which are indeed convenient for the edification of the Catholick Church in general, but not absolutely necessary for every par∣ticular charge. For these ends there∣fore, wherein your other studies of more necessary concernment, or the aversion of your own genius, may not incline you, or afford you oppor∣tunity, or enable you, to attain such skill your self as were convenient; it will be sufficient that you hold correspondence with such as have it, whom you may consult with as oc∣casion shall require, and so not be al∣together unprovided even for these extraordinary occurrences. But that which will more peculiarly and in∣dispensably concern you, is that more immediately practical know∣ledge, which all are some way bound to observe, and of which none,

which act prudently in their com∣mon concernments of the world, may be presumed uncapable. And it were well that you would reduce all other speculative knowledge to this, as it is certainly designed by God. My meaning is, that you would not begin with notions in in∣structing others, but that you would first stir them up to practice such duties as are by all parties acknow∣ledged to be essentially obligatory under the state of Christianity (as, God be praised, principles sufficient for most of these are admitted by all considerable parties that violate the peace of Christendom, however other∣wise disunited among themselves) and so by that means bring them to a carefulness of their wayes, and a ten∣derness of conscience, and an inquisi∣tiveness after their duty universally whatever it may be; which will pre∣pare them for what other instructi∣ons they may afterwards prove ca∣pable of; and will be of excellent use, both for rendring your advice acceptable and useful to them, when

they first sensibly experience its ne∣cessity before it be communicated; and for preventing the infusion of any frivolous and unprofitable noti∣ons, which are very dangerous to po∣pular capacities (who are usually more passionate than judicious, and are too prone to impose their own private sentiments in things, they do not understand, as well as those they do, on others, and so to make them the badges and characteristicks of subdividing parties) and will be the best measure for suiting and propor∣tioning their knowledge to their ca∣pacities; for they are certainly ca∣pable of so much knowledge whose usefulness they are capable of appre∣hending; and no more is necessary, if I may not say, expedient, to be communicated to them.

IX. I could have shewn you, in [ IX] many regards, how incomparably more advantagious this way is, even for the reduction of Hereticks and Schismaticks, than that which is ordinarily made use of, an abrupt disputation: for by this means you

will find that the onely true causes of heretical and schismatical pravity, obstinacy and perversity of will, and prejudices of the world, and the vain desire of applause and victory, and their preingagement in a party, and that shame and unwillingness to yield (even to truth it self, when it appears their Adversary) which unawares surprizes the most innocently mean∣ing men, will be removed before your reasons be propounded, which, if by them they be thought more convincing, they must, upon these suppositions, needs prevail; and that the want of the removal of these is that which ordinarily makes dispu∣tations so successess; nay that the conversion it self of the persons with∣out the purgation of these prejudices, might indeed enlarge our party (a design too vain to be aimed at by any peaceable pious Christian) but would never be advantagious to the persons themselves (the charity to whose souls ought to be the princi∣pal inducement to a rational and prudent person to engage him to en∣deavour

their satisfaction) because it were hardly probable that the truth it self could be embraced on its own account, and so for virtuous motives, whilest these humors were predominant; and to receive the truth it self for vitious ones were a desecration and prostitution of it, which must certainly be most odious and detestable in the sight of God, who judges impartially of the secret thoughtss and intentions, as well as the exteriour professions, of men; that, I say, these things are true, if Reason do not, yet sad experience will, prove a full conviction. Besides their receiving the truth it self upon humour. (and it cannot be judged to be upon any other account where it is not embraced upon a pious sensse of its usefulness) would both be scandalous to those that might per∣ceive it (as Hypocrites cannot al∣wayes be so cautious in their perso∣nations, but that sometimes the As∣ses ears will appear through the Lyons skin) and would render them as uncertain to any party as the

cause that makes it. Nay if, after you had reduced them to this good pliable temper, you could not pre∣vail on them in perswading them to an assent to what you say, either through the weakness of their under∣standings, or your own unskilfulness in pleading for a good cause with ad∣vantage; yet you must needs con∣clude them invincibly ignorant, and therefore excusable before God in this regard, as well as positively acce∣ptable in others; and therefore must be as charitable in your demeanour to them, as, you believe, God will prove favourable in their final sen∣tence; which must needs be a great secondary satisfaction and comfort (that their errors themselves are in∣nocent) to such as are more intent on the improvement of Christianity it self than any subdividing denomi∣nation; for it God himself, though he desires that good men should at∣tain the actual truth in order to the peace of Ecclesiastical communion, be yet pleased to admit of some ano∣malous instances of his mercy, whose

failing thereof shall not prove pre∣judical to them; if, I say, God may do thus, and may be presumed to do so by you; I do not see how you can excuse your self (if you dissent) from forfeiting the glory of unifor∣mity and resignation of your will to God, which are they alone which make your other services accepta∣ble, or from incurring the blame of the envious murmuring servant, of havingk 1.13 your own eye evil because your Masters is good. Nay, for my part, I believe, that if you can here (as you ought to do in all cases) be satisfied in an expectation of a future reward from God; your patient and confident acquiescing in the Will of God, even when your endeavours prove successess as to the end imme∣diately designed by your self, will be so far from being a discourage∣ment, as that it will indeed intitle you to a greater preportion of spiri∣tual comfort; both because you may then best satisfie your self in the in∣tegrity of your intertien for God when you can readily acquiesce

without any gratification of your self by a victory in your discourse▪ and because the present little fruits of your labours may justly encou∣rage you to expect a more plentiful arrear behind. Yet, I believe, this preparation of your Auditors for your discourses by a sense of piety will not minister much or frequent occasions of dissidence even of the event, no•• consequently of the exer∣cise of these passive graces, as well in regard of the Divine assistance, you may then hope for, as your own abilities. For when the person has thus rendred ••imself worthy of the favour and has implored the Divine goodness for its actual collation; there can 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reason to despair of the Divine assistance, so far as it may not violate the ordinary Rules of Providence: such as are the sug∣gesting such motives to your mind as are most proper to prevail on the capacity of the person with whom you deal: the fitting you with ad∣vantage of proper and persuasive ex∣pression; the suiting all to the cir∣cumstances

and apprehension of the person, and the like, which when they concur cannot frequently fail of the desired event. But that which does especially recommend this me∣thod, is, that these moral dispositions of the will are so frequently taken notice of in the Gospel it self as the qualifications that prepared its Au∣ditors for its reception. For these seem to be thel 1.14 the opening of the ears, them 1.15 touching of the heart, then 1.16 sheeplike disposition, theo 1.17 preparation for the king∣dom, thep 1.18 ordination to eternal life, theq 1.19 true Israeliteship, which are everywhere assigned as the rea∣sons of the conversion of many of them. But this onely by the way.

X. That I may therefore return [ X] to the subject of my former dis∣course, you may hence conclude, that all that your people are obliged to practice, that, at east, you are obli∣ged to know; and that not onely as a Practitioner, who may be secure in knowing his own duty, in the sim∣plicity of it, with such reasons also

of it as may be useful for rectifying his intention, which is the onely thing that can rationally be concei∣ved to render a duty acceptable to God; but also as a Guide, who should also be acquainted with the nature of the duty it self, and the reason why it is imposed by God, and how it may contribute to the im∣provement of mankind, and what influence every circumstance consi∣derable may have on the morality of the whole duty; for without these things you can never be able to make a true estimate of those infi∣nite cases that may occur, having to deal with persons of different com∣plexions, and different callings, and different habitual inclinations. Upon which account it will concern you first to have studied all those funda∣mentals, which are generally esteem∣ed so by persons of all persuasions (such are those contained in ther 1.20

Creed commonly ascribed to the Apostles) not that I conceive it ne∣cessary that you deduce all conse∣quences that may be inferred from expressions used, even by approved Authors, even in these affairs them∣selves; but that you may be able, from your own judgment, to give an account what concerning them is necessary to be believed, and for what reasons, that so you may be able to satisfie an inquisitive Laick, and maintain the honour of your place, which is to preserve the Keys of knowledge as well as Discipline; and, believe it, in this knowing age, it is more than ever necessary. But for these things I would not have you too much trust the Schoolmen, or any modern collectors of Bodies of Divinity, who do too frequently confound Traditions with Opinions, the Doctrines and Inferences of the Church with her Historical Traditi∣ons, the sense of the ancient with the superadditions of modern ages, and their own private senses with those of the Church. If therefore

you would faithfully and distinctly inform your self herein, I do not understand how you can do it with security to your self that you do not misguide your flock, in affairs of so momentous a concernment, without having recourse to the O∣riginals themselves; wherein you should cautiously distinguish what is clearly, and in terms, revealed by the Apostles, and what onely is so virtually and consequentially; for it cannot be credible that God has made the belief of that necessary to salvation, which he has not clear∣ly revealed (so as to leave the un∣believers unexcusable) and that cannot rationally be pretended to be clearly revealed, which is nei∣ther so in terms, nor in clear and cer∣tain consequences. Now these Ori∣ginals are the Scriptures as the Text, and the Fathers of the first and purest Centuries as an Historical Commentary, in controverted pas∣sages, to clear its sense. First there∣fore the reading of the Scripture is a duty, in all regards, incumbent

on you; For these are they that s 1.21 are written that we might believe, and that believing we might have life in the name of Christ; thatt 1.22 are certainly to assure us of those things wherein we have been Catechized; that are able to make usu 1.23 wise unto salvation. And particularly, in reference to your Calling, the Scriptures are said to be necessary for makingx 1.24 the man of God (an appellative especially proper to the Clergie 1 Tim. vi. 11.) per∣fect in teaching, in reproving, in cor∣recting, in discipline (so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signi∣fies) acts also peculiarly belonging to the Clerical Calling. And ac∣cordingly oury 1.25 Church does

oblige the Clergie to read two Chapters, at least, every day, con∣cerning which, according to the old rules, they might have been exami∣ned by the Bishop, as also in Eras∣mus's Paraphrase; which seems to have been Instituted to make a∣mends for the length of the Ro∣mane Offices (injoyned by them on their Clergie under pain of mor∣tal

sin) above that of our Liturgie; as conceiving the skill of the Cler∣gie in the Scriptures of more mo∣ment for the discharge of their duty to the publick than their prayers themselves. Besides your skill here∣in is looked on as so necessary as that it is one of the severest charg∣es laid on all in the very collation of their Orders, that they bez 1.26 diligent in reading the Scriptures.

XI. But you must not think this [ XI] charge satisfied in beginning to do so from the time of your Ordinati∣on. For you must remember that you are then to be a Teacher, not a Scholar; besides that you cannot pass a prudent judgment of your own abilities till you have already experienced them, and thereof 〈◊〉〈◊〉 must have begun before. As you therefore read the Scriptures, it were well that after reading of any Chapter you would mark the diffi∣cult places, at least in the New Testa∣ment, and, when they may see•••• to concern any necessary matter of

Faith or Practice (for you must re∣member that I am now speaking of the meanest qualifications that may be expected in him who would pru∣dently take this calling on him) af∣terwards consult Commentators, such as are reputed most excellent in their kind; and read them, not cursorily, but carefully, examining their grounds to the uttermost of your capacity; seeing that you are to enquire, not onely for your self, but also for as many as are to be led by you. First therefore, after you have read the Commentator, either in writing, or, if that bee too tedi∣ous, in meditation, recollect the sum of his discourse, by reducing them to Propositions; then apply the proofs to the Propositions they pro∣perly belong to. Then examine the pertinency of his proofs so applyed, if they be reasons, from the nature of the thing; if Testimonies, from the Authors from whom he bor∣rowes them, by which means alone you may understand whether they mean them in the sense intended by

him. And at last see how his sense agrees with the Text it self, by comparing it with the cohaerence, both antecedent, and consequent. And for this occasional use of ex∣pounding Scripture, it were necessa∣ry to be skilled in the Originals; for all Translations being performed by fallible persons, and being capable of such aequivocations which may frequently have no ground in the Originals; the sense, as collected from such Translations, may very probably be misunderstood, and therefore cannot be securely trust∣ed. But, of the two Originals, the Greek is that, which can with less security be neglected upon the prin∣ciples already praemised. For, sup∣posing that your obligation is chief∣ly for matters of Faith, and so trans∣cending natural means of know∣ledge; and moral duties, not evi∣dent, nor deducible, from the light of right Reason, as being special de∣grees, peculiarly due to those mani∣festations of the Divine love in the Gospel, greater than could have

been expected from the Divine Phi∣lanthropy, as it appears from reason alone; both of these are proper to the Gospel-state, and therefore are onely to be expected from the New Testament, which, though in other things it may require the Hebrew, for understanding the Hellenistical s••ile; yet in these things, being so peculiarly proper to the Gospel-state, and being many of them merely new Revelations, it cannot be so extreamly necessary, and therefore the Greek may be here sufficient. Yet I must withall needs confess, that (for the Government and Governours of the Church, and the rituals adopted into Christianity by the positive Institution of the Gospel, the two Sacraments and o∣ther Solemnities of the Service of God) the knowledge of the Jewish Antiquities is very necessary for clear∣ing some things of so momentous a consideration, and so ordinary pra∣ctice, as that you may not be able, without them, to give a fall satis∣faction to your Parochia•• cure, in

doubts that may nearly concern them, which will therefore require a skill in the Rabbins, if not in the Hebrew Tongue wherein they are written.

XII. And upon the same account, [ XII] I do not, for my part, see how you can well have neglected the Fathers of the first and purest Centuries, espe∣cially those that are, by the consent of all, concluded genuine, and that lived before the Empire turned Christian, who consequently were free from those secular enjoyments, which, in a short time, sensibly cor∣rupted that generosity and exem∣plary severity, which were so ad∣mirably conspicuous in the Infancy of Christianity. For, though it be confessed that the Scriptures are in∣deed clear in all matters indispen∣sably necessary to Salvation (which are the onely subjects of my pre∣sent discourse) yet I conceive that perspicuity to have been mainly ac∣commodated to the present appre∣hensions of the persons then living, many of the phrases being taken

from doctrines or practices then ge∣nerally prevailing among them, and obviously notorious to all, the vul∣gar, as well as persons of greater capacities. But that all things, that were then clear, might not, as other Antiquities have done since, in a long process of time, contract an ac∣cidental obscurity by the abolition, or neglect, of those then notorious Antiquities on which that perspicui∣ty is supposed to depend; or that, supposing this perspicuity still to depend on such Antiquities, Provi∣dence should have been obliged to keep such Antiquities themselves unchanged, or any other way noto∣rious than by the monuments still extant of those ages; cannot, I con∣ceive, with any probability be pre∣sumed: either from the nature of the thing; or the design of the Scriptures, which both seem to have been written in accommodation to particular exigences, and on particu∣lar occasions; and rather to inti∣mate, than insist on, such things as were already presumed notorious,

and must needs have been either more intricate, if brief; or more tedious and voluminous, if accurate, in explaining so numerous particu∣lars. Now, if this perspicuity were accommodated to the appre∣hensions of them to whom they were, more immediately, revealed; then certainly the Holy Ghost must needs be presumed to have intended such senses as he knew them ready and likely to apprehend (especially in such cases wherein the terms were taken from something already noto∣rious among them, and wherein they could have no reason to suspect their misapprehensions, much less, ordina∣ry means to rectifie them) and there∣fore, on the contrary, what we can find to have been their sense of the Scriptures, in things perspicuous and necessary, that we have reason to believe verily intended by the Re∣vealer. Besides that this is the usual practice of our most accurate Cri∣ticks, to expound their Authors, where difficult, by comparing them with other writers of the same time,

or Sect, or Subject, which mention the thing doubted of more clearly; and therefore cannot prudently be refused here, where we are speak∣ing of the ordinary moral means of finding out the true sense of the Scriptures. I do confess that the Fathers do not write in a method so accurate and fitted to the capacities of beginners as our modern Sy∣stemes, but withall, I think, it can∣not be denyed but that they are, e∣ven upon that account, more intel∣ligible than the Scriptures, so that they who are obliged to be skilful in the Scriptures cannot, upon any account, be presumed uncapable of understanding the Fathers. Nor ought it to be pretended that the writings of the Fathers are too vo∣luminous and tedious a task for a young man to undertake before his entring into the Clerical calling; for both I do not see how that way can be counted tedious, which is ne∣cessary, and onely secure, how long soever it may be; nor is it indeed true, that the Fathers of the first

three Centuries were a task so very tedious (for as for others after∣wards, the more remote they are, the less competent also they must be for informing us of the sense of the Apostles in an Historical way of which alone we are now discoursing; nay seeing that the later writers can know nothing this way, but what has been delivered to them by the former, it will follow that they cannot be able to inform us of any thing new, after the reading of their predecessors, and therefore, though it might be convenient, yet, after the Primitives, the reading of the later Fathers cannot be so indis∣pensably necessary) especially if the counterfeited Authors and writings be excepted, together withall those that are lyable to any just suspicion, and are reputed such by learned and candid men; and if their time were improved, as it might by most, and would by all, that would undertake this severe Calling upon these con∣scienti••us accounts I have been al∣ready describing. Besides I do not

know why they should complain for want of time either before, or after, the susception of holy Orders, when as we see other Callings re∣quire seven years learning before their liberty to practice, whereas a much less time well improved would serve for this, even for ordinary ca∣pacities, that were grounded in the necessary rudiments of humane learning; and they have afterwards a maintenance provided for them without care, that they might addict themselves without distraction to employments of this nature. All things therefore being considered, I do not see how this requisite (how much soever it may amuse some by its seeming novelty) is either unne∣cessary or unpracticable.

[ XIII] XIII. Besides these reasons from necessity, I might produce o∣thers of conveniency why young practicioners of Divinity should de∣duce their Doctrine more immedi∣ately from the fountains. As first, that by this means they may be best able to judge impartially, when they

are less possessed with the favour of a party; whereas it is, I doubt, too frequently, the practice of those that do otherwise, first espouse a partly, afterwards to see with no o∣ther perspectives than what preju∣dice and interest will permit, not so much to enquire what does indeed appear truly derived from the A∣postles, as what these conveighers of Apostolical Tradition say in fa∣vour of their own, and discounte∣nance of their Adversaries faction. And Secondly, this would certainly much contribute to the infusing a peaceable Spirit into the Catholick Church (a blessing vigorously to be prosecuted and prayed for by all good Christians) which certainly could not chuse but considerably contribute further to the actual peace of Christendome, whose principles might undoubtedly in many things be better accommodated, if their Spirits were less exasperated. This it would do, partly by the inevi∣dence of the reasons, when exami∣ned; for it is generally the unex∣perienced

confidence that is most bold and daring; partly in deriving principles of accommodation from those fountains which all do so una∣nimously applaud, and wherein therefore they are most likely to a∣gree, if ever Providence reduce them to a reconciliation: and part∣ly because by this means they will be less likely to broach any offen∣sive Doctrines, seeing that for this end, not onely the Church of Rome, but our Mother the Church ofa 1.27 England, has required that no other expressions of Scriptures be urged publick∣ly but such as are agreeable to the Doctrine of the Fa∣thers: your observation of which Canon I do not see how you can secure without knowing what they hold, nor know what they hold without reading them. Be∣sides Thirdly, that the very conversing with such admirable monuments of Piety, where most of their very errors seem to have

proceeded from a nobly designing excessive severity, and their practices rather exceeded, than fell short of, their doctrinal severity, must needs, like the conversation of God with Moses in the Mount, affect them with a proportionable splendor: to see them devoring all their worldly in∣terests for the Service of the Church, exposing their lives and fortunes for the faith of Christ, I do not say, willingly and patiently, but even joyfully and triumphantly, b 1.28 wearying their Judges cruelty, and blunting their Executioners Axes, with the multitudes of such as, without any enquiry, offered themselves, crowding and throng∣ing to the Catastae, the Vngulae, the stakes and gridirons, and other the most terrible executions that were ever heard of, with as much ear∣nestness and emulation as was ever shewn in the Olympick exercises, impatiently striving for the honour of that which the World thought penal and calamitous. And lastly that they must needs from hence

make a truer estimate concerning the real design and duties of Chri∣stianity, from those times wherein it was undertaken upon choice and a rational approbation, and against all the contrary aversations of worldly interests, merely for its own sake, and when it was preached in the simplicity of it, without any compliances or indulgences gratifying either the humours or pretended necessities of a worldly conversati∣on; than now when fashion and e∣ducation and worldly interests are the very inducements inclining ma∣ny to profess themselves Christians, who otherwise take not the least care of fulfilling their baptismal obligations, and wherein the vitious reserves of the World have prevail∣ed so far as to corrupt their very Casuistical Divinity, and to make them believe those things impossi∣ble, and so necessarily requiring the Divine favour to excuse them, which yet were then universally perform∣ed. And to see how peculiarly the Clerical Calling was then honour∣ed:

that none were chosen to it but either such as were designed by the more immediate inspiration of the c 1.29 Holy Ghost to their Ordainer; or by the general Suffrages of the d 1.30 People concerning their unspot∣ted lives, when that extraordinary way failed; or by some extraordi∣nary experiment of their excellent Spirits: such weree 1.31 renouncing all their possessions, and resigning them to the common use of the Church, or somef 1.32 exemplary suffering for the faith of Christ (which though not extending to death was then calledg 1.33 Martyr∣dom) besides that zeal and incessant diligence in providing for the ne∣cessities of their cure, and those per∣secutions which were sometimes as peculiarly their lot as they were Gods, must needs imprint a Sacred awe and Reverence for the Calling, which, if measured by present either precepts or precedents, cannot be deservedly esteemed.

XIV. But to proceed. Besides this knowledge of the prime neces∣sary

fundamentals it will also be ne∣cessary for to be skilled in all such controversies as separate any con∣siderable Communions of Christi∣ans. For these also your flock, il∣literate as well as learned, are ob∣liged to practice. For it is certain that they must be obliged to make use of the Sacraments as the ordina∣ry channels where Grace may be expected, and therefore must com∣municate with some Church; and seeing every Church does not onely assert its own, but censure other Communions differing from her, and therefore will not permit any per∣son that enjoyes her Communion to Communicate with any other; it will follow that they must all be concerned, as far as they are capa∣ble, to understand a reason, not onely of their Communion with ours, but their consequent separati∣on from other Churches. For see∣ing Schisme is a sin of as malignant an influence to Souls as many others which are more infamous in the vulgar account; it must needs be

your duty to secure them from that, as well as other sins. Now the for∣mal imputable notion of Schism as a sin being the no-necessity of its di∣viding the Churches peace; that a∣ny party of men may be excusable from it, they must be satisfied: ei∣ther that not they, but their Ad∣versaries, were the causes of the division; or that, if themselves were, yet it was on their part neces∣sary; which it is impossible for you to do even to your own prudent sa∣tisfaction, if you do not understand the true state of the Controversies, and the full force of what is pro∣duced on both sides. And for knowing the true state of the Con∣troversies, you must remember, that the Obligation incumbent on you for knowing them does not concern you as they are the disputes of pri∣vate Doctors, or even tolerated Par∣ties, but as they are the Characte∣risticks of Communions; and therefore they must be the Coun∣cils and Canons, or such other pub∣lick Authentick Records of the

Churches, or their acknowledged Champions as explaining their Churches sense, and not their own▪ and the conditions practiced among them without which their Commu∣nion cannot be had, that you must be presumed skilful in. I do not think it so indispensably necessary that you be skilled in all the parti∣cular Controversies of meaner con∣cernment even betwixt different Churches themselves, but those that are mutually thought sufficient to separate Communion; nor in all those themselves, but in any. For as, for joyning in a Communion, it is ne∣cessary that all the Conditions pre∣scribed for it be lawful; so on the contrary, if onely one be unlawful, it is enough to prove the separation not unnecessary, and so not culpable, nay, that it is necessary and obligato∣ry; and so sufficient to satisfie him in as much as he is concerned to practice. Your skill in these things will every way be obligatory on you: for their sakes that are capa∣ble, that you may satisfie them; for

those that are not, that you may secure them, (who, by how much they are less able to he••p them∣selves, must consequently more rely upon your conduct, which will there∣fore lay the blame of their miscar∣riages heavily on you, if they be occasioned by your negligence) and for the reducing such as are misled, a duty too generally neglected a∣mong the poor superstitious Natives, though expresly required by the h 1.34 Canons of our Church; so that you are obliged, not onely to be able to teach your Flock, but al∣so i 1.35 to resist gain sayers, tok 1.36 rebuke them with all Authority,l 1.37 to stop their mouths, to convince and perswade the modest, and to con∣found and shame the Incorrigible. But, in dealing with Adversaries, it were fit, that, in accommodation to the method already prescribed, of fitting them for rational discourses by first bringing them to a conscien∣tious sense of their duty; you would therefore fit your motives to those preparations, by insisting not

onely on the Truth, but the Piety, of embracing what you would per∣swade them to, and the Impiety of the contrary; how directly, or in∣directly, it countenances or encou∣rages licentiousness; at least of how mischievous consequence the sin of Schism upon such an account would be, and how inconsiderable the contrary palliations are for ex∣cusing it: that Schism is a breach of Peace, and so a violation of the very Testament of our Lord; of love, and so a disowning the Chara∣cteristick badg whereby Christians are peculiarly distinguishable from the Infidel-world; a subdividing the Church into Factions and Parties, and consequently chargeable with the guilt of the scandal of the common Adversaries, who by these means are induced to dishonourable thoughts of the Institutor of so confounded a Profession, and are by these mutu∣al exasperations enabled to see the infirmities of all Parties by their mutual recriminations; and so their minds become exulcerated and im∣pregnably

prejudiced against all the Rhetorick of the Gospel, and un∣capable of those ends designed by God in it's publication (and oh how heavy an account will such disho∣nour of God, such frustrating of his Evangelical designs, and the mis∣carriage of such a multitude of Souls, so dearly purchased by him, amount to!) besides the internal mischiefs following from it: a weakning the common strength by dis∣persing it into multitudes of incon¦siderable fractions, singly conside∣red, and so disabling it for any ge∣nerous designs of taking care of that great part of the World which never yet heard of the Gospel, be∣sides the dissolution of Discipline, the contempt of the Authority, and weak∣ning it, and so the great liberty made for all the vices and scandals of wick∣ed men by a consequent impunity. I would heartily recommend this con∣sideration to our conscientious dis∣senting Brethren who are affrighted from our Communion by the scan∣dalous lives of some of our preten∣ded

Conformists, how much them∣selves contribute to the Calamities they so seriously deplore by bring∣ing a disrespect on that Authority which should, if entertained with due veneration, either reform them, or make them cease to be scanda∣lous by their perfect exclusion from her Communion.

[ XV] XV. But that which you can least of all want, is a study too much neglected, because too little experien∣ced, among Protestants, that of Casuistical Divinity. For unless your general Sermons be brought home and applyed to particular Con∣sciences; I do not know how you can be said to have used your ut∣most diligence for the Salvation of particular persons, and therefore how you can clear your self from particular miscarriages. I am sure, this is the way the Apostle St. Paul vindicates himself from the blood of all men. Act. xx. 26. that he had not spared to declare unto them the whole counsel of God, v. 26. and that, not onely publickly, but also,

from house to house v. 20. nay that for three years, night and day, he cea∣sed not to warn euery one with tears; which expressions do certainly de∣note a greater frequency than that of their publick Synaxes, where their Preaching was in use; besides that the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, used for e∣very one, cannot be understood of them Collectively, but Distributively and singly. There is a remarkable saying quoted by Clemens m 1.38 Alexandrinus from an ancient Apocriphal work: that the companion of a good man can hardly perish without involving the good man himself in a participa∣tion of the blame; which is certainly, in a more severe sense, verifiable of a person engaged in the Clerical Calling, because of the charge with which they are peculi∣arly intrusted. The charge it self you may read in Ezech. xxxiii. (a passage I conceive very well worthy some serious thoughts before you

undertake Orders) If the destructi∣on come, and take away any of your charge, whosoever he be, he dyes in his sins; but you, if you have not warned him, are responsible for him. Now I do not see how you can be said to have warned him, when you have not taken the pains to inform your self of his con∣dition; for considering that you are not now to expect Revelations, but to judg a posteriori, by the appea∣rances and ordinary course of things; you cannot warn any of danger but such as appear in a state of Demerit, to whom God has threatned it, and that, how culpable it is, cannot be judged without ex∣amination of particular circum∣stances. For do not believe that the Pulpit-denunciation of judgments can suffice, or that it can reach the end of these warnings, the terrify∣ing men from their sins, so as not onely to make them entertain some struggling velleities against them, but also to endeavour an effectual relin∣quishment of them. For either they

are Indefinite and Hypothetical, in∣volving ••deed all sinners in the dan∣ger, but not telling who are such, so that the application (which is of the most effectual influence for the re∣duction of any particular person) is left entirely to the too-partially-af∣fected disposition of the person him∣self (whose very judgment being either diverted or depraved by his vices, so that he is unwilling or una∣ble to discern them to be so, and his very conscience by that means either actually or habitualiy seared) he can be never likely to condemn himself, unless he be reduced by a particu∣lar consideration of his own, for which he is not beholding to the Ministery; or they are so managed as that indeed no man can have rea∣son upon that account to be particu∣larly terrified. For considering that those denunciations that are general do concern those remainders of sin which are as long-lived as themselves in the most pious per∣sons; and accordingly that the Publick confessions of sins, where∣in

the pious as well as the impious are concerned to joyn, and that with∣out dissimulation or falshood, are such as are confessed, in the very same forms, to deserve the penalties so denounced, and yet it is most cer∣tain that no condemnation does belong to them; nay, though they con∣stantly commit the like sins, and therefore periodically have need of reiterating the same Confessions, as not being encouraged to believe it possible to relinquish all such sins, but onely to strive against them; by this means persons are accustomed to confess themselves sinners, nay, and great ones too, and to deserve the severest of these Comminations, and yet all this without any terrour, supposing all this to be common to them with the Holyest men living, to whom undoubtedly no terrour does belong; these things, I say, being considered, they cannot here∣by be obliged to believe themselves actually in danger of these threats, and therefore cannot, for fear of them, be obliged to relinquish ut∣terly

their endangering demerits. I doubt many a poor Soul does feel this experimentally, who, though they have lived for many years un∣der a terrible Ministery, yet never have been thereby actually terrified from those vices to which themselves acknowledg the curse of God to be due, especially if they were secret, and so might escape the censures and particular reproofs of men. Be∣sides that by this means of onely Pulpit-reproofs you cannot pretend to say that you have warned such persons as either through Irreligion, or Prophaneness, or contrary perswa∣sions (occasions too frequent now a dayes, and comprehending multi∣tudes of Souls) forbear the Church, or consequently clear you from be∣ing accountable for them. But, though in publick Preaching sins were particularized more than they are, and charged with that peculiar severity they deserve; yet you must remember that they are very few that can prudently be so dealt with: such as generally prevailed, and such

as were notorious; so that for all o∣thers that are not reducible to these heads, (many of which may prove of as dangerous consequence to the concerned persons themselves as these, if they perish in them.) I do not see how you can chuse but be Responsible, if you do not reprove them by a more close and particular address.

[ XVI] XVI. I know the degeneration of our present Age is so universal herein, and that men are naturally so disingenuous, as that rather than they will acknowledge themselves faulty, they will strain their wits for Palliations and Apologies, espe∣cially when countenanced by the practice of men of an otherwise se∣vere conversation; that you may not admire if you may find some who may conceive me severe in this point. But you must remember the liberty I have designed in this whole discourse, not to flatter any one in affairs of so hazardous consequence; and I do not doubt but that even those my opponents themselves will

believe this way, though more se∣vere, yet certainly, more excellent and more secure, and therefore though it were onely doubtful, yet it were more conveniently practicable. But for my part, I think it so little doubtful, as that, laying aside that unwillingness that either interest, or the surprisal of a Novelty, may cre∣ate in many against its reception; I think there can be little pretended that may cause a rational scruple to an unprejudiced understanding per∣son. For if a general denunciation of Gods anger against impenitents had been sufficient, and no more particular application had been ne∣cessary to have been made than what had been the result of the guilty Consciences, or the good natures, of the persons themselves, or the peculiar Providential preventions of God; I do not see what necessity there had been of the Prophets, as Watchmen, of old; or of Preachers now. For that God is a rewarder and punisher of the actions of wicked men, none ever yet denyed that held

a Providence, much less such as owned any written Revelations, which were able more distinctly to inform them what these rewards were; and we know it is the reply of Abraham to Dives,* 1.39 that if Moses and the Prophets were not able to assure them of the certainty of these future rewards on supposition of their impenitency, neither would they be convinced though a Prea∣cher were sent them from the Dead, so that upon this account the sending of Prophets must have been need∣less, especially of such as were di∣stinct from the penmen of the Ca∣nonical books, and were sent on provisional messages, for concern∣ing such alone I am at present dis∣coursing. Besides the credibility of these rewards depended on the credit of the Law it self, which was antecedent to the mission of Pro∣phets, as being that by which they were to be tryed, and therefore could not in any competent way be proved by their Testimony; which will appear the rather credible

when it is remembred that temporal calamities were the usual subjects of these ordinary Prophetick messages. The onely thing therefore that they must have been sent for must have been a particular application to the parties concerned. And according∣ly this is their method still to deliver their message to the persons them∣selves: when to the People, as it was most frequently, in their publick As∣semblies; when to their Princes, or to other particular private persons, still their practice was accordingly. Nor did they ever excuse themselves (as too many are apt to do now) when persons apprehended them∣selves particularly concerned, by pretending that the application was none of theirs; but still they owned it, and were ready to suffer the in∣flictions of those whom they had thus exasperated. And according∣ly we find it reckoned among the principal qualifications of a Prophet even by the Jewes themselves, that he be, not onely wise, and rich, but also valiant. And Jeremy is thus

encouraged to harden his face like brass, and that he be against the Jewes liken 1.40 an impregnable for∣tress, that he should noto 1.41 fear their faces neitherp 1.42 be dismayed; and Esay, as a Type of our Saviour, hardens his face like flint, Isa. l. 7. which I do not know of what pecu∣liar use it could prove in this case, unless it were to embolden them that they might not fear the threats or malice of the great ones in the performance of their duty, which they had not been in such danger of without this application. Besides, if this application were not the pe∣culiar employment of an ordinary Prophet, I do not understand what it was that was blamed in the false Prophets, whoq 1.43 Preached peace when there was no peace. For that ever any of them was so impudent as to deny the truth of Gods de∣nunciations against sinners indefinite∣ly is no way credible; or that do∣ing so, they could find credit in a Nation so signally convinced of a Providence. Their crime therefore

must have been, that they flattered the wicked, and either made them believe their faults to be none at all, or not so great as indeed they were; or that God would either excuse them particularly, or not punish them in this life, or not suddenly, or not se∣verely. And accordingly also in the New Testament we findr 1.44 S. Ste∣phen and thes 1.45 Apostles charging their crimes home on their Persecu∣tors; and to this end endued with an admirablet 1.46 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, among other gifts of the Holy Ghost then dis∣pensed for capacitating them for their office. And that this parti∣cular application was not grounded on such particular Revelations whereby those extraordinary per∣sons might have been enabled to judge particularly of their cases, for which we, who have none but hu∣mane fallible means of knowing the wickedness of mens hearts, may now be thought less sufficient; may appear from the frequent men∣tion of this use of particular reproof as anu 1.47 ordinary qualification for

the Clerical Calling, and from the like practice of the most ancient Fa∣thers and Martyrs, who eve∣ry wherex 1.48 freely in∣veigh against the particular scandalous persons of their times, and their Persecutors. But these things are in them∣selves obvious, and are a subject too copious to be insisted on at present.

[ XVII] XVII. Supposing therefore this necessity of a particular application, it will be easie to deduce hence the necessity of your skill in Casuistical Divinity. For if you must par∣ticularly apply you must particularly know the state of the Conscience you have to deal with. And that you may judge it when known, you must know the means of acquiring all virtues, and of avoiding all vices and sins, and the stress of all Lawes, and the influences of all circumstances con∣siderable, and the way of dealing with all tempers; that you may never judge rashly, that you may advise pertinently and successfully, that

you may so provide for the present as that you may foresee dangerous consequences, that you may not run Consciences on perplexities by ma∣king one duty inconsistent with a∣nother; all which do some way or other belong to Casuistical Divi∣nity. Especially it will concern you to be some way skilled in all Lawes more immediately relating to Con∣science: the Law of nature, and the Positive Lawes of God and the Church, which are to be your Rules in affairs of this nature. And, be∣cause the Law of nature intirely, and all other Lawes as to their par∣ticular influences and applications to particular Cases, as indeed also all useful humane learning, do some way depend on the accurateness of your method of Reasoning; therefore here it were convenient that you be provided with those requisites for ordering it which are mentioned in my Letter of advice for Studies; for without this your inferences will be same and imperfect, and not se∣cure to be relied on by a person in your dangerous condition. XVIII.

[ XVIII] XVIII. But besides these qua∣lifications of knowledge, for in∣forming people concerning their duty there are also other practical requisites for inducing them to the observation of it. Such are an ex∣perience and prudence in the Ars vo∣luntatis (as Nierembergius calls it) an undoubted courage and confidence in enduring all difficulties that may, and undoubtedly will, occur in the performance of your duty; a sweet and sociable behaviour that may win, yet grave and serious that may awe, the hearts of men; but above all, even for the sake of your Cure, as well as your own, a holy and exem∣plary life. Of these in their Order. First therefore your first qualificati∣on of skill in the Ars voluntatis, the Art ofy 1.49 catching men, that I may speak in the language of our Savi∣our, and S. Paul, will require both experience in the nature of these mental diseases, for your information; and prudence in the application of their cure; for without these you can with as little rational confidence

venture on their cure as the Physici∣an that were neither skilled in Sym∣ptomes or Diseases or the virtues of herbs and minerals which are their usual remedies; and were as respon∣sible for their miscarriage under your hands as the law makes Empi∣ricks and unskilful persons. For un∣derstanding the nature of these mental diseases, you must remember that, as virtue is the improvement, so, vice is the debauching of the ra∣tional faculties, and therefore you cannot expect to prevail on mens interests and inclinations by a bare representment of the unreasonable∣ness of their actions; for it is clear that Reason is no measure of the actions of Brutes; and therefore whilest men live not above the Bru∣tal principle, that which is animal and sensual; Reason is as little va∣lued by them as the richest Indian gems by the Dunghill Cock in Aesop. So that indeed your work must be first to make them reasonable be∣fore you propound your reasons to them; and it is half done when

you have made them capable of hearing reason. Whilest therefore they are unreasonable, you must deal with them as we do with chil∣dren (it is a similitude excellently urged and illustrated to this pur∣pose byz 1.50 Maimonides) first al∣lure them by motives proportioned to their present capacities, to per∣form the material actions of virtue, till by use they be confirmed into a habit, which when it is well rooted, it will then be easie by shewing the rational advantage of them (which they will then be capable of under∣standing and perceiving) both to endear their duty, and rectifie their intentions, and so to make them formally virtuous. And the prudent managements of this affair are the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, mentioned bya 1.51 Socrates, theb 1.52 wise charming in the Psalmist, thec 1.53 Serpentine wisedom com∣mended by our Saviour, the craft and catching with guile mentioned byd 1.54 St. Paul. Now for this it will be necessary, in point of expe∣rience, that you be acquainted with

those difficulties in your self (for thus our Saviour himself is observed, by the Author to the Hebrewes, by hise 1.55 fellow feeling of our infirmi∣ties, to be qualified for his being a merciful High Priest, and being able to succor them that are tempted) and

in others; both as to their tem∣pers, and habitual inclinations, and callings, and daily conversati∣ons, and the temptations likely to occur: to know the material virtues they are inclined to, and to lay hold on the mollia tempora f••ndi, their good humours, and lucid intervals, and Providential impulses;

for without these things you cannot know either how to win them, or how to keep them, and secure them from Apostacy especially if of a fickle and variable humour, as most men are in their spiritual resolutions. Besides Prudence will be necessary as to all its requisites: Circumspection, to discern the whole case as to all the Precepts and Prohibitions to which the Action may be obnoxious; all the Inclinations,

and those many times very different, if not contrary, in the same persons; all the circumstances accusing or ex∣cusing, of which allowance is to be had; Caution, in a foresight of all dangers, which upon the aforesaid considerations may be probably ex∣pected, and in allowing for future probable contingencies: Iudgment, in accommodating the Lawes, and the Actions, and the Inclinations of the Patient in a due proportion, and providing for their seemingly-con∣tradictious necessities.

[ XIX] XIX So also, that Boldness and Courage is another qualification for this purpose, seems clear, not onely from the Old Testament pas∣sages intimated formerly concerning Prophets, but also, from the New Testament where it is usua••ly men∣tioned as a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Spirit that was to fit them for the discharge of their Clerical Calling. Thus the confidence of St. Peter and St. John was admired by the Sadducees Act. iv. 13. which is intimated to have proceeded from the Spirit▪ v. 8. and

accordingly this was also prayed for for the future v. 29. And this is also observed concerning St. Paul af∣ter his addresses to the exercise of his office, that he was Strengthned in his disputations with the Jewes, Acts. ix. 22. which is Paraphrased by his speaking boldly in the name of Jesus v. 27. And this I conceive to be thatf 1.56 Preaching with Au∣thority mentioned concerning our Saviour; and thatg 1.57 Preaching with Power, in the evidence and de∣monstration of the Spirit, concern∣ing the Apostles. And indeed with∣out this you can never expect to be able to undergo the difficulties you must engage in, in the performance of your duty. For how can you tell the great ones of their scanda∣lous Sins, or reprove gainsayers, or shame the guilty, or destroy the confederacies of the Wicked, with∣out exasperating many vitiously dis∣posed minds against you? And if you fear shame, or the spoyling of your goods, or the pain of your body, or death it self; you must

needs fear those in whose power it is to inflict them on you; and if you do so, then, considering that they are so fondly enamoured of those things that tend to their ruine as that they bear their deprivation with impatience, and, like madmen, prosecute their benefactors with de∣tractions and hostilities (so little sensible they are of the favour con∣ferred on them, in disswading and restraining them from them) you can never, upon those terms, be able to rescue them from their danger. This is a qualification, though now extremely neglected, of so very mo∣mentous consequence, as that I shall beseech you to be tender of it, for your Flocks sake, if not for your own. For, believe it, their everlast∣ing welfare depends more nearly on the fidelity of your admonition; and it is to little purpose for you to keep the watch if you do not give warning at the approach of danger; or, with the Dog, to observe the flock, if you do not bark when the Wolf is ready to devour them. Let

not therefore the pretence of youth∣full modesty, or the danger of pe∣tulancy or unmannerliness, or the accusation of incivility, or a slavish comp••iance with the ceremonies of the World, or whatever other pre∣tences may be produced by such as are either willing to Apologize for their neglect in this kind, or are conscious of something in them∣selves that may deserve the exercise of this dreaded severity (as men are generally too ingenious in palli∣ating the occasions of their own ruine) rob you of a jewel wherein the security of so many Souls is so nearly concerned. You may, I be∣lieve, think it difficult, how to bring your self to it, and when you have it, how to beware of offending on the opposite extreme, of being petu∣lant and impertinent, and rendring your self unsociable. For acquiring it I should advise you to take care of spending your Tyrocinium under the wings of a Patron, at least such a one as would be offended with your Freedom; but rather in a ma∣nagement

of an inferior little Fami∣ly. 1 Tim. iii. 4. 5. And this may serve for acquiring an habit of con∣fidence. But then for the reason of it, if I may take you for the person the former qualifications have sup∣posed you to be, you cannot be un∣provided: for he who values not any Worldly enjoyment as great, can never be awed by any worldly Pomp; and he that undervalues e∣ven death it self, the King of Ter∣rours, can never be affrighted by the means of any mortal, how great soever, whose power can extend no further, from the performance of his duty. But then for avoyding the other extreme of petulancy; be∣lieve it First, that, if you could not avoyd it, yet it were much the safer excess both for your flock, and for your self: for your flock, who must needs be less prejudiced by being charged with fau••ts they are not guilty of, or unseasonably, than by being permitted in a total ignorance of such as are unquestionably dan∣gerous, a false alarm being sometimes

more secure than none at all; and for your self, your imprudences in this kind being alleviated by many commendable ingredients, a zeal for God, and a conscientious sense of your duty, and a good intention, and the preservation of a vigilant and active Spirit, which is more frequently useful in your profession than its restraint. But Secondly, for avoyding it, if you take care that neither your self, nor the person concerned, be in a passion when you advise him, you will both find him more tractable, and your self more ruleable, and more steady, in ob∣serving the prescriptions you have resolved on before. And then for furnishing you with such rules of restraint of anger other ordinary books may be sufficient; and there∣fore I forbear.

XX. So also for your Conver∣sation, [ XX] that it must be Sweet and Winning, may appear from the supposals already premised. For, considering that the persons, you have to deal with, are not as yet

supposed capable of reason; and your very prescriptions themselves, bluntly proposed, are sufficient to make them averse from hearkning to you, and so to frustrate your whole design by an unseasonable precipitation; you must therefore first allure them, not by the reasons of the duties themselves, but by that great good will you are to shew to them, whereby they may be in∣duced, as Children are, upon ac∣count of their Parents, or other friends they are fond of, to believe that you would never advise them such things if you were not very confident that they would effectu∣ally conduce to their good. Now to convince them of this your good will, you must condescend to their Childish apprehensions as far as is lawful, that is, you must shew it by a sweet and willing readiness to pro∣mote that which themselves con∣ceive to be for their good where it may not prove really inconsistent with it, by an avoyding all needless occasions of offending them, and

by that means shewing an unwilling∣ness to impose any thing on them to which they are averse, without a great conviction of its being useful for their greater interests. But for this end you need not imitate them in all their actions; for that were not to reach them out of the ditch, but to fall in your self for Company. But you must bear with their imper∣tinencies, and still (as near as you can) proportion their present duty to their present habitual abilities, not discouraging them in their fay∣lings, but rather thence taking oc∣casion to stir them up to a greater future diligence; and have a care of making them entertain harsh and unworthy notions of Religion: that it is a state of life, melancholy and sad, and a perpetual valediction to all joy and comfort; that it renders a man burdensome to himself, and trouble∣some to all the Society with whom he does converse; that it is so wholly de∣signed for future hopes as that it can have no portion in present enjoyments. Rather let them know by your

doctrine and behaviour, that it is not an exchange of joy for sorrow, even in this life but of inferior, baser, less solid and less lasting ones for such as are incomparably more valuable and more secure; and that it is so far from disturbing or embittering Socie∣ties as that, on the contrary, it obliges both to love and to be worthy to be beloved, to do all the good we can to all mankind, which must needs mutually endear them; and qualifie them for a mutual renunciation of their own wills in complyance with each other, and that indeed, not onely by way of com∣plement. By all means therefore be chearful before company, that you may not bring an ill report upon the pleasant land of Promise, like the murmuring spiesh 1.58 but take a special complacency in seeing others chearful as well as your self (it was Recorded as a saying of our Savi∣our in the interpolated Gospel ac∣cording to the Nazarenes: Nunquam laeti sitis nisi cùns fratres in charitate videritis) and do not willingly give any offence to any, but where justice

and their own greater interest re∣quire it; and even then, take care that their offence rather be, at their own guilt, than your way of admoni∣tion, at least beware that they may have no just reason to do so. But especially take care to behave your self chearfully in your exercises of austerity that they may understand that there are indeed other joyes besides those of sense, and that they are chiefly then to be expected when the mind is freest from world∣ly solaces. But that which will be a special endearment of you to So∣ciety, will be neither to speak evil of any behind their backs your self, nor to hearken to such as would; to prevent all quarrels before your presence, which will be easier, either by preventing the occasion or in∣crease of passion, which will be also so much easier if it be taken before it grow unruleable; or by diverting the discourse, or withdrawing one from the other; or, if they be al∣ready fallen out, by endeavouring their reconciliation, and a good un∣derstanding

among them for the fu∣ture; to be the common preserva∣tive of peace among your flock, and the Arbitrator of their differences. Yet you must withall take heed that this complyance be not prejudicial to that gravity and seriousness which is necessary for preserving that Sacrd respect to your Office primarily, and to your Person in regard of your Office, which is ne∣cessary for deterring many, even in a mute way, from their sins, by vir∣tue of those unobliterated impressi∣ons of Conscience and Modesty, and that slavish honour of virtue and shame of vice, which naturally seize on the most debauched persons ima∣ginable. And seeing that the whole recommendation of your Doctrine is, as I said before, in accommodati∣on to these Childish apprehensions of the vulgar, resolved into their esteem of your person; you ought above all things to be tender of those requisites that are necessary either for acquiring this esteem, or its preservation. And this seeming

contradiction that seems to be be∣twixt this Complyance and Awful∣ness may thus conveniently be re∣conciled, if you observe, that your Complyance be in your Censures, but your Awfulness in your Practice; by being a mild Judge of other mens Actions, but a severe censurer of your own; condemning onely evil things in others, but the very ap∣pearances of it in your self (as you must needs do if you would be ex∣emplary, and you must be exempla∣ry if you would awe) for in order to your own practice, you must con∣sider, not onely the nature of the thing, but the Decorum of your per∣son (which, because it is so necessa∣ry for capacitating you for the dis∣charge of your Calling, you must be obliged to observe under pain of Sin) so that that may be lawful for a Laick, which cannot be so for you. For your own persons sake therefore you are to forbear, not onely such things as are unlawful in their own nature, but such as are inexpedient; not onely such as are inexpedient, but

such as are indecent; not onely such as are indecent for others, but such as are so for you; not onely such as are so, but such as may appear so; not onely such as may appear so on just and reasonable grounds, but such as may be thought so by others, and so may engage them in sin, though unjustly and unreasonably. Nay, even in things that were lawful for you, it were well that, it they be any thing light and trivial, as exercises & recreations, or telling of merry sto∣ries: that they were either not done before the vulgar Laity; or if they be, that they be managed with such sparingness and abstemiousness, that it may appear that they are rather used for their profit than their plea∣sure, and therefore that you be nei∣ther tedious nor eagerly concerned in them. But most of all you are to take care of jeasting with the infe∣rior Laity themselves, who, as they are less capable of reason, and so more awed by these ceremonial di∣stances, are also more apt to despise you, when they see them transgres∣sed by you.

XXI. But that which is the first second and third requisite for this Calling, as the Orator said concern∣ing Pronunciation in Rhetorick, is a Holy and an exemplary Life. For seeing that the vulgar is thus to be decoyed to embrace your Doctrine, not for its Reason, but for the respect they are first to entertain for its Preacher; as you must maintain your own credit among them, that they may be ready to believe what is taught them by you, so you must also let them understand that what you teach them is indeed believed by your self, and they can have no reason to believe you do so unless they see you practice it. For do not the same duties oblige, and the same menaces belong to you, as to them; and cannot you (even by your own confession) expect a more favourable hearing (if you may not fear one more severe for the reasons already mentioned) and is Hell and Damnation the acknowledg∣ed reward of those actions you are guilty of your self? If you were

fearful that this were true, certainly you would not venture on them; if you be not, how is it credible that you do believe them? If you do not believe them your self, how can you perswade others to believe them for your sake, who are (as I said before) uncapable themselves of judging of your solid Reasons. How little solid soever this way of arguing be in it self, yet assure your self, it is that on which the practices of the vulgar, to whose apprehensi∣ons you are to accommodate your self in this affair, are mainly ground∣ed. I might have shewn you also further, what influence this would have in procuring the qualifications already mentioned, that belong to Morality. For Experience; you must needs be better acquainted in dealing with other mens conditions, when you had first tryed their weak∣nesses in your self. This would in∣form you how tender a thing Con∣science is, and yet how ticklish; how many misunderstandings it is obnoxious to, and how it is influen∣ced

by the difference of mens hu∣mours and constitutions. And this must, at least, make you tender and cautions in dealing with them. For Prudence also, that being no∣thing else but the impartiality where∣by right Reason is able to judge con∣cerning circumstances; and the recti∣tude of Reason consisting in the im∣munity of the understanding from all prejudices, either intellectual or moral; holiness of life contributing to this immunity, removing those moral prejudices which are of grea∣test concernment here, must also be considerably advantageous for ena∣bling it to judge prudently. So also for Courage and Confidence, how can he fear the faces of men who undervalues all that for which they fancy themselves so very terrible, even Death it self with whatsoever aggravations; who has the encou∣ragement of glorious future hopes, and present visitations; who is ful∣ly confident of the good will of God (from whom he receives them, when incurred in his Service) that

his Tribulations shall be proporti∣oned to his abilities; and according∣ly that, if they be great, his Con∣solations shall be the more, which are so much valuable beyond them, that the severest Tribulations prove in the event the greatest Blessings, as intitling him to them? So also it has been already shewn how a sweet and sociable, yet grave and serious, behaviour is either the express duty of Religion it self, especially that of a Clergieman, or a necessary conse∣quence from that excellent temper Religious exercises are likely to bring its Practitioners to.

[ XXII] XXII. Now because this Sancti∣tie of life, as in you, must also be Exemplary, it will therefore be necessary that it have two qualifica∣tions: that it be Excellent, and that it be Conspicuous. For an Example must be understood, in regard of them to whom it is pro∣pounded, to have the notion of a Rule; and a Rule must be able to rectifie the Actions that are to be ruled by it; which it cannot do if

either there be any obliquity in it self, or if its rectitude be unknown to the party concerned in it. Its Excellency must be necessary in respect of the Vulgar, who are concerned to imi∣tate it; and therefore must exceed the strict duty of a Laick; for usu∣ally Learners do allow themselves a liberty of falling short of their Co∣py, and therefore if ever the Laity do reach the severity of their Pa∣stor; either they must thence for∣ward not make his Practice their Precedent, or be incurious of a further progress. The former I have already intimated, how dispropor∣tionable it is to their ordinary ap∣prehensions. And how dangerous the later is, every mans experience may inform him; that whilest he growes negligent, he looses what he has, as well as fails of the gains he might have made; and besides that is never likely to reach to that per∣fection, at which, it is the duty of a Laick, as well as a Clergieman, to aim. And you must remember with what savour they are likely to

judge their own having reached your example. Besides, you should consider that they will not measure their own perfection by the multi∣tude of duties, but the excellent manner of performing them; and that they are all sensible (of what is truth whether they were so or not) that you are obliged to some duties in which they are not any wayes concerned; and that there∣fore they discharging their own du∣ties as well as you do yours, though they be fewer, yet that they are e∣qual with you. You must there∣fore so behave your self as to neg∣lect no part of your duty: whether as to your general, or your particular Calling; as a Christian, or as a Cler∣gieman, that may be subject to the observation of men (for this kind of Perfection is acknowledged pos∣sible by all Protestants) and that, not onely in omitting no duty, but in performing all the good that may be expected from your Profession. Otherwise how can youi 1.59 silence Blasphemers with confusion and shame

whilest they may have any just oc∣casion of carping at you? How can youk 1.60 adorn your Profession, and bring even Infidels to an acknow∣ledgment of the glory of God by the excellency of your Conversati∣on. Remember that these expres∣sions now mentioned from the A∣postles are set down as the duty of Private Christians; and what seve∣rity must then be necessary for them who are to be patterns, not onely to the world; but also to those who are to be their Precedents? And be∣sides your greater duties, it will con∣cern you to be punctual even in small things; in fulfilling your du∣ty, and performing your promises, how frivolous soever the matter were; for this was it that gained the Pharisees such a reputation of Sanctity, and yet not blamed by our Saviour; but their Hypocrisie in ob∣serving these minute things with a scrupulous severity, but neglecting the weightier matters of the Law without reluctancy. But especially it will concern you to be cautious

and severe in such virtues as con∣cern a moral civil Conversation, and in matters of worldly interest, for these are the peculiar objects of the Love, and consequently of the jea∣lousie of the Vulgar, and therefore here you may expect to find them most severely Critical. And if these virtues be taken care of, you may expect to find them more favourable in censuring vices of the Spirit; for this is that which so ingratiates the Quakers and other Ent••usiasts with them, whose other vices of un∣charitable censoriousness, and Spiri∣tual pride, and Imperious dogmatizing, are so far from being noted by them as that, when they gain Proselytes it is not upon rational accounts (which they disclaim under the opprobri∣ous name of carnal reasonings) but by a recommendation of their Per∣sons, upon account of their severe observation of secular Justice.

[ XXIII] XXIII. But it is also further necessary that this Excellency be conspicuous. And this qualification, though of Excellent use for your

Flock, may prove of dangerous con∣sequence to your self, if not dis∣creetly managed. The use of it for the good of others appears from those passages of Scripture, where∣in Christians are calledl 1.61 the salt of the Earth,m 1.62 the City that is placed on a hill, and cannot be hid, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉n 1.63 the Luminaries of the World,o 1.64 not to be concealed un∣der bushels, but placed in Candlesticks; and where they are commanded p 1.65 to let their light so shine before men, that they might see their good works, and glorifie their Father which is in Heaven; many of which are spoken indeed to private Christians as well as others; but especially concern the Clergie, who are to be luminaries to the Commonalty as they are to the Gentile World. And upon this account (the necessity of the Church requiring it) St. Paul himselfq 1.66 becomes a fool (it is his own expression) even in publish∣ing the materials of his own praise: the sufferings, and miracles, nay the Revelations which were such as

might not onely prefer him before the false Apostles, but equal him to the true ones themselves. And most expresly he perswades themr 1.67 to provide for things honest, not onely be∣fore God, but also before men. Ac∣cordingly the Bishops by the Ancient Canons were not to go any where without the attendance of some of their Clergie that might be able to give Testimony of their behaviour; and St. Ambrose,s 1.68 that severe distributer of his time, prohibited none for coming to him at any time, though he supposed that persons would not be so unmannerly as to disturb him unnecessarily when they saw him better employed, as St. Augustine witnesses; and another Bishop, int 1.69 Sozomen is mentioned to have kept open house that any might at any time surprize him if engaged in any indecent Action. You must not therefore think that when our Saviour reproves the Pha∣risees for doing their Actions so u 1.70 that they might be seen of men, and on the contrary seems to pre∣scribe

such a secrecy as thatx 1.71 the right hand may not know what the left hand does, that it is in all cases for∣bidden that our good Actions be known, or that we are alwayes ob∣liged to conceal them; but that it is expedient that we conceal them when their publication may not be peculiarly serviceable for the edifi∣cation of others; not to publish them for any complacency we are to take in them our selves, but mere∣ly for that Service to God for which we may be enabled by our Reputa∣tion among men. I confess the pub∣lication of virtues is very disadvan∣tageous in several regards for the person: partly because Experience shewes that the heats of Religious Passions themselves, as well as others, evaporate by being vented; partly because it exposes us more to the in∣spection and Censures of men, which, whatever they be, may prove dan∣gerous to us if they be intended by us. For it is hard to intend them without some complacency and con∣cernedness in them, which, whether

it be for God's sake or our own, is alike dangerous. For if we be con∣cerned, then we must needs be dis∣couraged if they fall contrary to our expectations; or if they prove fa∣vourable, it will be very hard to distinguish what is useful for the Service of God, and what onely gratifies our own humours in the ob∣ject of our complacencies; which difficulty is by so much the more dangerous, inasmuch as it is more Spiritual, and less easily discernible, virtues either supposed or real being its most dangerous temptation; which is a deplorable case, to be at the expence of denying our selves, and suffering all the difficul∣ties of materially virtuous Actions, and yet to loose the reward of them by seeking it unduly and preposte∣rously. But on the other side, the conveniences of having your Reso∣lutions and several of your Actions known, are: that exposing your self hereby to publick censure, you may, if true, take them for warnings and admonitions; if false, for tryals

and exercises of your Patience; that you may therefore terrifie and awe your self into a greater caution, when you remember so many Criti∣cal eyes ready to observe your lap∣ses; that you may avoyd many impertinent temptations which all will be ashamed to motion to a per∣son unlikely to entertain them. And assure your self that it were much more beneficial for the edifi∣cation of your Flock, that you were Hypocritical than Licentious; and that it is the safer extreme to e••r in professing too much than too little, as long as it does not appear that your Profession is not real. For the Hypocrite onely perishes him∣self, but may notwithstanding save others though himself be Reprobate, as the Apostle doesy 1.72 imply, and he honours Religion even in coun∣terfeiting it, which must needs alle∣viate his condemnation. But the scandalous licentious person is like the Dragon in the Revelations,z 1.73 that involves the very Stars in his own ruine, or like him in the Gospel,

who not onely breaks the Evangeli∣cal prescriptions himself, but also teaches others to do so too, who though he do it in the most frivolous instances, yet our Saviour himself threatens that he should be the least in the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, none at all, as it is usually under∣stood S. Matth. v. 19. though, for my part, I had rather understand by the Kingdom of Heaven, the Gospel-state (for this seems to be the notion of it S. Matth. iii. 2. iv. 17. x. 7. xi. 11. xiii. 24. 31. 33. 41. 44. 45. 47. 52. xviii. 23. xx. 1. xxii. 2. xxv. 1. and of the Kingdom of God S. Matth. xii. 28. xxi. 43. Mark i. 15. iv. 26. 30. Luk. iv. 43. vii. 28. viii. 1. x. 9, 11. xi. 20. xiii. 18. 20. and accordingly the Gospel it self is cal∣led the Gospel of the Kingdom, and they who are interes••ed in it, the Sons of the Kingdom, upon several occasions) and by the being least therein, the least participation of its priviledges, according to which the meaning will be: that he who tea∣ches men to despise the least injun∣ctions

of the Gospel (who yet may still own himself a Professor of it, which cannot justly be pretended of him that teaches to despise the grea∣test) shall enjoy least of the Gospel priviledges, whether it be in a di∣minution of his reward, or a miti∣gation of punishment, or in enjoy∣ing exterior priviledges onely in op∣position to the interior. I have the rather mentioned these perswasions because I verily believe the fear of being noted of Singularity and Hypocrisie & Affectation does dete••r many, not onely of the Laity, but the complying Clergie themselves of our Church, from making an exteri∣or profession of what they do most conscientiously practice in private; to whose consideration I shall onely at present recommend that severe threatning of our Lord,* 1.74 that of them who are ashamed of him before men he will also be ashamed before his Father and his holy Angels. Now that you may accommodate these difficulties together, and so let your other virtues appear, as that their

appearance may not prove prejudi∣cial to your modesty; you must take heed that that publick applause do not provoke you to think better of your self than you really deserves which you may have reason to a∣voyd, if you remember: that what∣ever men think of you, yet you are really no greater than God knowes you to be, and that by this measure you must expect your reward; that men are fallible in their judgments, judg∣ing according to Fondness, or Affe∣ction, or Charity, which will not one∣ly provoke, but oblige, them to judge well when they find no reason to the contrary, though indeed there be; by which means good men themselves may be mistaken in judging too favourably of you, and that commendably, in reference to themselves; and in their Informa∣tions, knowing nothing but the bare action, but not the intention from whence all its morality is most pro∣perly, and most securely, estimable. Be sure therefore that this shewing your works to others be like the

a 1.75 Cloud in the Wilderness, which on the one side enlightned the Israe∣lites, but on the other darkned the Egyptians. So let their excellencies appear outwardly, that they may stir up your Spectators to the praise of God, and the emulation of your Example, as that, at the same time, onely their Imperfections may ap∣pear inwardly to your self, which may prostrate you to as low a Hu∣miliation. Besides, it were well that besides what they knew, you would reserve some greater Excellencie unknown, for which you might one∣ly have regard to God, who sees in secret what he will openly reward. For if you can do any Excellent action for which you can have no motive or design in this World, then it will be clear that, even in those whereby you may gain secular ap∣plause, yet that is not your either onely, or ultimate, motive. And in general, where you find their com∣mendations exceed your merits, let it stir you up to a virtuous shame of being less worthy than you seem.

[ XXIV] XXIV. But that without which all these qualifications will not suf∣fice, if separated from it, and with∣out which you cannot prudently venture on such a dangerous Cal∣ling, is a Resolution of persisting in them all firmly and unmoveably for the future. For this is the pru∣dent consideration of the builder so much commended by our Saviour, (and you must remember that the Analogie holds very well in the Clerical Calling, for as himself is called an Architect, 1 Cor. iii. 10. so his employment is called Edification, not onely there, but also Rom. xv. 20. Gal. ii. 18. 2 Cor. x. 8. xii. 19. xiii. 10. Eph. ii. 20. 21. iv. 11. 12.) that built his house upon a Rock, against which neither the rainy Tor∣rent, nor the violent Rivers, nor the Tempestuous Winds, were able to prevail. S. Matth. vii. 24. 25. For you must remember that not to main∣tain your building is as great an In∣consideration as not to finish it; though indeed, final Perseverance being the onely accomplishment of

this building, it cannot be finished if it be not maintained. You must therefore besides the former quali∣fications, which are requisite to this purpose, remember that the Calling, you are undertaking, will oblige you for your life, and therefore your choice, if imprudently made, will therefore be of worse consequence, because it is irrevocable; so that your chief care must be to foresee whether you be able to persevere afterwards in maintaining what you have begun, and that for your whole life. And for this end you must consider your qualifications them∣selves: whether they have appeared onely in single Acts or in Habits; or if in Habits, whether they be newly acquired or strongly confirmed and rooted by custome; for you cannot trust any other Habits for their du∣ration for so long a time. Besides you must consider whether your Temper be fickle, or stable; if it be fickle, you can trust no Habits them∣selves longer than you persevere in the same humour, or till they may

decay gradually according to the method of their acquisition. Then also you must consider the difficul∣ties you may have occasion to con∣flict with, which if they be less than those you have already dealt with or equal, you may hope to persevers but if greater, you cannot conclud•• that, because your Habits have bee•• so confirmed as not to yield to smal∣ler difficulties, therefore they would be able to hold out in greater try∣als. And for those you must not onely foresee such as you are likely to encounter at your first entrance upon this holy Calling, but such as you may probably meet with in the course of your whole life, but still with regard to the proficiencie you may make in confirming those Ha∣bits you have against the time you may have occasion to meet them in, if you be not deficient to your self. Nor would I have you think that I herein make your future hopes of the grace of God a Cypher, in requi∣ring you to foresee all future diffi∣culties, and to measure them by

••roportion to your present strengths; or you see I do not deny the ne∣••essitie of the grace of God for ••ringing you to this excellent frame ••f Spirit I have been hitherto des∣••ribing; nor all such hopes of Grace ••or the future as may be grounded ••n Covenant-conditions, your coo∣peration and improvement of what you have at present; so that the onely Grace whose hopes I have seemed to exclude, is that which is extraordinary and uncovenanted, such as is all that which is necessary for overcoming those difficulties, which you have voluntarily incurred your self, and which were not like∣ly to befall you in an ordinary course of Providence, nor are brought upon you by an extraordinary. But as for other difficulties, which cannot be foreseen, but are merely casual in respect of second causes; you need not be so anxious, but leave them confidently to that Providence which has prohibited your careful∣ness for them; and do not fear your being disappointed in such depen∣dences

as are not rash and imprudent, as long as you are otherwise careful•• of performing those duties on which your title to these promises does de∣pend.

[ XXV] XXV. If you be already engaged in Orders, as this discourse suppose•• you not to be, you may be tempted to think all that has hitherto been said digressive and unseasonable. But you will find no reason to do so after a little recollection. For as, if you be not, there will be no oc∣casion for such a surmise; so if you be, yet it will be useful to you, if not as a warning to shew you what you are to do, yet at least as an in∣formation, both what you ought to have done before, and what you ought therefore to be penitent for, if you hitherto have neglected it, and upon what you are to lay out your whole endeavours for the fu∣ture. But, to proceed, supposing now that you are the person I have been hitherto describing, you cannot stand in need of any particular Rules; for if you be thus called by

God you shall be taught by him in the performance of the duty to which he has called you (I mean this Teaching as well as the Call in an or∣dinary Providential sense, which is that wherein the Prophesies concern∣ing it are verified under the Gospel) for both this Prudence and other abi∣lities will be able to guide, and this Piety to suggest, what is fit to be done upon all particular exigencies; and as those themselves are gifts of the Spirit, so their improvement will intitle you to greater, so that their direction and influence is rather to be imputed to God than man, though it be true, that now by vir∣tue of the Evangelical Covenant they are usually conferred in the use of ordinary means, and this reaching particular circumstances must needs make all rules unnecessary. If you do not understand this coherence, you may more clearly by this chain of principles: First, the Providen∣tial teaching and direction of God is that of right reason, so that they that are led by it are led by God; Se∣condly,

that we may be led by right reason two things are necessary, and these two are perfectly sufficient: First, that the rational faculties be rectified; and Secondly, that the lower appetite and other executive faculties be in a ready disposition of being obedient to reason. And both these must needs have been supposed in the qualifications now mentioned. For the rectifying of the rational faculty does require onely: that nothing be taken for granted precariously, and that the understanding be not diverted from its ordinary natural course of exa∣mining things to the full; for it is from the first principles of reason impossible that the understanding taking no principles for granted but such as deserve to be so, and pro∣ceeding orderly in deducing conse∣quences from them, should be mista∣ken. I do not mean that the un∣derstanding proceeding thus is al∣wayes infallible as to the nature of the thing, because it may mistake some principles for self-evident that

are not so, merely upon an account of that natural dulness it contracts from the body; but it is alwayes infallible as a rule of Morality, that is, the lower faculties conforming to it can never be guilty of any Immorali∣ty, because the error, if any be, must needs be invincible, and so inculpable. And upon this account God, who does not undertake, nor is concern∣ed, to direct the understanding any further than it is necessary for the saving of the person, cannot be rea∣sonably conceived to have any other Infallibility in his design than this moral one, at least, is not obliged to have it. Now for the rectifying of the rational faculties you are First, supposed to have used means for informing it by your skill in those several Studies which have been hi∣therto advised; you are Secondly, disswaded and prevented from im∣bibing any prejudices, or any cor∣rupt affections for one party by your immediate recourse to the O∣riginals themselves; you are Third∣ly, advised for the most accurate im∣provement

of your judgment in a clear and advantageous method of reasoning; and Fourthly, in the use of all these means you have been shewn how you may in an ordinary way be confident of the assistance of Divine Providence in such cases as you cannot secure your self in by your moral diligence: whether for removing such prejudices as you could otherwise hardly discover to be so; or by Providential placing you in such circumstances wherein those reasons may offer themselves to your cognizance which you could otherwise never have discovered; or by capacitating your judgment for a more equal censure concerning them; whether by improving your natural capacity to a more than or∣dinary perspicuity; or by rendring intellectual objects more intelligible by your greater experience, and fa∣miliarity, and fixation of your mind upon them; or by fitting them to such times when your judgment may be less distracted, and conse∣quently more quick and apprehen∣sive;

and by giving his holy Spirit by virtue of which they are to be discerned. Now when all these things are thus secured, certainly there cannot be more probable hu∣mane means thought on for finding even the truth it self, and therefore the rational faculties must have the greatest security they are capable of, and to greater they cannot be obliged. And then, considering that natural reason thus purified is b 1.76 the candle of the Lord, and that the Spirit which may thus be expe∣cted is thec 1.77 Spirit that leadeth into all truth, and thed 1.78 Divine unction that teaches all things; I do not see why it may not be said as truly here as it was falsely said of e 1.79 Herod, that the judgment of Reason thus rectified is not the voice of man, but of God. And then for the second thing required to this rectitude of Reason, the subjection of the lower Appetite to the supe∣rior part of the Soul thus rectified, that is the whole design of a good life, a qualification already suffici∣ently

recommended, which there∣fore needs not to be further spoken of at present.

[ XXVI] XXVI. So that, if you be already Ordained, you see, that according to these principles, your main duty will be, either seriously to set your self to the acquiring these qualifica∣tions, if you have hitherto neglected them; or, if you have not, to take a care of keeping your Garment that none may see your shame, and reteining your first love (the very warnings of our Saviour himself to those of your profession Rev. iii. 18. ii. 4.) to persevere in those excellent dis∣positions that you have so happily begun, and from thence to deduce Rules for your following practices. For rendring these requisites a little more useful, I shall onely add two things more, and so put an end to your present disturbance. The first shall be concerning the manner ei∣ther of acquiring, or exercising th••se gifts, especially relating to practice, that may be most beneficial both to your self, and the publick; the se∣cond

concerning the manner of dea∣ling with your Parishioners that may make them capable of your Instru∣ctions. Concerning the former, it has been already intimated before, that the most proper way of per∣swading mankind is first to allure them to the performance of actions materially virtuous, and by a frequent repetition of them to beget an easi∣ness and delight, and a rooted habit, which, when acquired, and that averseness and sensuality, which be∣fore had rendred men uncapable of good counsels, being removed, you may then propound your reasons with success, and rectifie their in∣tentions, and render them formally virtuous. That therefore which will most concern you for the Pub∣lick as well as your own Soul, is, the rectifying your intention. Seeing therefore right intention is to be measured from the due end, you must take care that all your Religi∣ous actions in general be designed with an intention so habitual and deeply rooted, as that all particular

ones may, according to the degree of deliberation they proceed from, partake of the same either virtually and interpretatively, or explicitely and particularly. Now the proper end of Religious actions being the ser∣vice and pleasing of God, you must take care that they be performed with that design which you know to be most pleasing to him: and that is the doing them purposely for his sake; and that they are so done you may best satisfie your self by examining whether they proceed from a principle of Divine love. Exercise your self therefore daily to bring your self to this habitual sense of the Divine love, which will even in this life abundantly recom∣pence the pains you may be at in acquiring it. For both in respect of your self and of your Flock you shall find it advantageous. To your self the advantages will be: that by this means you shall best secure the reward of your virtuous actions, when you do not onely perform them, but perform them upon a vir∣tuous

motive; that by this means your duty shall become, not a task, but, a real pleasure, proceeding from such a pleasing and endearing prin∣ciple; and having the omnipotence and good will of God to secure you from the fears of disappointment when your desires are reasonable; and as a sure refuge and Sanctuary to have recourse to, when they are not; and that you will not be subject to the slavery of such desires them∣selves, which are the Originals of all misery even in this life; and your performance of your duty will be more universal; not onely in things agreeing with your humour, but e∣ven in those which are most contra∣dictory to it, which will be so much the more acceptable to God by how much it is less so. to our selves. Be∣sides, it were well that you would endeavour to render your love as rational as you can, and as little de∣pendent on the passions of the lower appetites; for by this means your tranquillity will be continual, and not depend on the vicissitudes of

humours; seeing, if you be led onely by reason, that being alwayes true, must consequently be alwayes seasonable; and that the reason whereby you judge concerning your own condition were rather ground∣ed on your Actions than your Af∣fections, so as never to think better of your self when you find your affections warm, if your actions are not correspondent; nor the worse, when your affections Flagg, your actions still continuing conformable. This rational rectifying of your in∣tention would still oblige you to keep an habitual attention and watchfulness over your actions, and yet would make attention it self less necessary by being habitual, and make it less affected. It would make it less necessary, because vir∣tuous habits, as well as vitious, would breed a facility and inclination to virtuous actions even antecedently to deliberation. It would make it less affected, because Piety would appear in such actions where affectation could not take place, as well as

where it might (for indeliberate actions are not capable of affectati∣on) and because it would make an u∣niformity in all actions of your life, which were remarkable. Which must needs make your life exempla∣ry with more advantage to your self, as well as to the vulgar: to your self, because observing of Rules could not be practiced but in actions deliberate, which are but few, and must be handled more te∣diously; whereas this way of se∣curing acts by habits and habitually∣right intentions, would at once pro∣vide for all, by diminishing their number, and by directing such as would remain: to the multitude; who by this means must better be convinced of the truth and sincerity of their Pastor, when their most accurate inspection could discern no affectation, and that by all appea∣rances it seemed real, not hypocriti∣cal.

XXVII. For. managing your [ XXVII] Cure it were well that you would constantly allot some time daily

from your Studies for visiting them, when you shall think them best at leasure. And because the parti∣cular persons may be more than you may be able to deal with in an ordi∣nary way, therefore for their ordina∣ry Cure you should first win Pa∣rents and Masters of Families to a sense of Piety, which being once performed, you may then easily in∣duce them to a care of the Souls of theirf 1.80 Children and Servants, by shewing them how their Religion would conduce to their ver∣ry

secular interest (that hereby their Servants would prove more faith∣ful, and their Children more obedi∣ent and comfortable to them) that therefore they should keep up their Family Duties constantly: their Mor∣ning and Evening Prayers; that oc∣casionally they would instill an in∣struction in their duties, by having some good book read to them all, especially the Whole duty of Man, according to the method of the Partitions therein prescribed, every Sunday one; that they would, by your advice prescribe some selectg 1.81 passages of Scrip∣ture fitted for their practi∣cal use, to be gotten by heart by them; to instruct them, as they find them capable, in the Art of Holy Medi∣tation and mental Prayer; to stir them up to a frequent Communion, and to desire your Advice upon occasion of any important scruple, whether in order to the Sa∣crament, or upon any other

occasion; and to influence them all by their word, and example, and ex∣hortation, and peculiar encouragement. Then endeavour what you can, to abolish the Nurseries of vice and publick Debauchery, not by im∣ploring the Magistrates assistance (that becomes secular persons ra∣ther than your self, and would be apt to harden the hearts of the per∣sons concerned against you; when they should find your exhortations backed with no better arguments) but by perswasions; partly by dis∣swading the multitude of such Cal∣lings as are interessed in mens vices, (such are Taverns and Ale-houses, especially the most debauched of them) to give over that kind of Calling, and betake themselves to something more profitable for the Commonwealth, and more secure for their own Souls. Concerning this you may make use of the advice and assistance of your more able Parish∣ioners, who may be best experien∣ced in the commodities of the Coun∣trey, and may be able to employ

them even in raising new advantage∣ous Arts of Trading, if it be neces∣sary. But for those Trades that are directly unlawful, if they be not a∣ble to undertake any other, it were better that they were maintained on the publick Charity than that they should be suffered to return to their former employments. You may see for this St. Cyprians Epistle ad Eu∣cratium L. j. Ep. 10. So also it were well that those Taverns and Ale-houses, which might be permitted after the detraction of their super∣fluous number, were confined to Inns who by their paucity might gain sufficiently and virtuously a conveni∣ent maintenance. And to this pur∣pose you might perswade them to keep small drink, that none may be necessitated to use their strong; and to take care of either tempting or permitting any to drink beyond their measure, as they would tender the security of their own Souls from a participation of their Sins. Then it were well, in the next place, that you frequented the Schools, if

there be any, and according to the Authority the Law allowes the Clergie in such cases, examined the care and method of their Masters, and especially to take care of a me∣thod of instilling Piety into their Children, which their Masters may practice them in;h 1.82 or, if their Masters be negligent, you should allure and encourage them your self. Do not despise this mean employment; for both you will find them more ca∣pable of virtue than such as are confirmed in vitious habits, by a more inflexible age, and longer custome; and by this means you may more easily secure the hopes of the next Generation, which you may live your self to see grown up accor∣ding to your own desire. Then for giving them more particular prescriptions you should stir them up to a particular Confession of

their Sins and Temptations, accor∣ding as our Mother thei 1.83 Church of England andk 1.84 Ireland approves it, but to give them no formal Abso∣lution till a long experience has let you understand their stabili∣ty in keeping their Resolutions, which will both keep them careful in their daily practices, when as yet they are uncertain of their condition; and will come with more comfort, either in a time of Spiritual dejection, or the hour of Death, when they shall find that you are neither precipitant nor favourable in judging concerning them; ••esides that their pardon be∣fore God in order to the Sacrament will be never the less valid because you do not assure them of it. And, in doing this it were well that, with advice of your Ordinary, you would retrive the Canon of this Church of l 1.85 Ireland for tolling your Parish Bell the Evening before the Eucharist, and waiting for such in the Church as are desirous to Confess themselves, or ask your Ghostly counsel, withall

warning them of those crimes which you are not obliged to conceal, that they may not think themselves be∣trayed under pretence of Religion. Besides, you should be ready to take all occasions of Peoples seriousness and melancholy, whether for Tempo∣ral discontents, or for fear of Death, and upon such occasions to warn the Spectators to beware of deferring the care of their Souls to such exi∣gencies, who will then most proba∣bly be affected, and so to behave your self to the person principally concerned as that the standers by may understand the ground of his comfort to be rather his past life than any indications he can give of his present penitence. And upon occa∣sion of your visitation of sick per∣sons, you should remember what the Rubrick of the Office requires you to put them that are rich in mind of lay∣ing up a good foundation for the time to come 1 Tim. vi. 17. 18. 19.* 1.86 of shewing their gratitude to God who has

blessed them by paying him an ac∣knowledgment out of their gains; and shewing themselves not to be Proprietors but faithful Stewards, es∣pecially if the Riches be justly got∣ten; otherwise you must refuse their very Oblations, till they have first made satisfaction to the persons injured by them. But what is just∣ly gotten, and may be lawfully ac∣cepted, it were better bestowed in a considerable summe (for houses of Correction for maintaining idle Vaga∣bonds, and raising them to do some∣thing profitable for a livelihood; for educating and raising necessitious per∣sons to an honest Calling; for helping those who are reclaimed from a scan∣dalous course; for all those good uses, which in the Primitive Church were supplyed out of the common Treasures of the Church) than in transient Almes. Many other things might have been added, but that, you may Remember, I did not pro∣mise you an enumeration of all par∣ticulars of this kind. Onely these seem more necessary for reducing

your People to a ruleable Temper, without which your other care will not be so significant. I hope you will excuse the freedom I have ta∣ken; for my own part I thought I could not have discharged the duty of a faithful friend, if I had not done so. Otherwise I have been so far from imposing on you, that I have not advised any thing, which either is not evident, or has not its reason insinuated with it in the body of my discourse; and so may freely be judged of either by your self, or any other whom you shall make use of either for its Correction or Im∣provement. Whatever the event may prove, assure your self, it was undertaken with a good intention, by

Your assured well-wisher, especially in such Christian Services, H. D.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bishop Taylor.
• * 1.2

  Do you trust that you are in∣wardly moved by the Holy Ghost, to t••ke upon you this Office and Mi∣nistration, to serve God for the promoting of his Glory, and the edifying of his People?
• * 1.3

  Answ. I trust so. Ordering or Deacons.
• a 1.4

  S. Joh▪ x. 1••. 12.
• b 1.5

  S. Joh. xvi. 33. 1••. Joh. xi. ••5▪
• c 1.6

  Phil. ••••▪ 8.
• d 1.7

  Acts ix. 15, 16.
• e 1.8

  Acts v. 41.
• f 1.9

  S. Matth. v. 11. 12.
• g 1.10

  Jer. xxiii. 2. Ezek. xxxiv. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
• h 1.11

  S. Joh. x. 11. Phil. ii. 17.
• i 1.12

  Phil. i. 23, 24, 25.
• k 1.13

  S•• Matth. xx. 15.
• l 1.14

  Isa. xlviii. 8. l. 5.
• m 1.15

  Acts xvi. 14.
• n 1.16

  S. John x. 14, 16.
• o 1.17

  S. Luke ix. 62.
• p 1.18

  Acts xiii. 48.
• q 1.19

  S. John 47.
• r 1.20

  That this is the sense of the Church concerning this Creed, appears, in that this is required of all persons to be baptized, in the Office of Baptism; of all persons dying, in the Office of Visitation of the Sick; of all persons thought fit to be confirmed or com∣municated, in the Church-Catechism.
• s 1.21

  Joh. xx. 31.
• t 1.22

  Luk. i. 4.
• u 1.23

  2 Tim. iii. 15.
• x 1.24

  2 Tim. iii. 16. 17.
• y 1.25

  Also that e∣very Parson, Vlcar, Curate, Chautery, Priest, and Stipendary, being under the degree of a Batchelor of Divinity, shall provide and have of his own, within three months after this Visitation, the New Testament both in Latin and English, with the Paraphrase upon the same of Erasmus, and dili∣gently study the same, conferring the one with the other. And the Bishops and other Ordinaries by themselves or their Officers in their Synods and Visitations, shall examine the said Ecclesiastical persons how they have prostred in the study of Holy Scripture. Injunct by K. Edward VI. Anno 1547. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 11. of Dr. Sp••r••ow p. 6 7.

  Also that every Parson, Vicar, Curate, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Priest, being under the Degree of a Master of Art, shall provide and have of his own within three months after this Visitation, the new 〈◊〉〈◊〉 both in Latin and English with Para∣p••ra••es upon the same, conserring the one with the other. And the Bishops and other Ordinaries by 〈…〉〈…〉 or their Officers, in their Synods and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, shall examine the said Ecclesiastical persons how they have prfited in the study of Holy Scripture. Injunct by Q. Elizabeth, Anno, 1559. p. 72. 1. 16.

  I shall read daily at the least one chapter of the old Testament, and another of the new, with good 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to the increase of my knowledge. Pro∣•••••••••• to be made, promised and subscribed by persons to be admitted to any Office, Room or Cure, or other place Ecclesiastical, among the Ar∣ticles of Q. Elizabeth, Anno, 1564. p. 127.
• z 1.26

  In the 〈…〉〈…〉 thire orders
• a 1.27

  Imprimis verò videbunt, ne quid unquam doceant pro Concione, quod a populo religiose te∣neri & credi velint, nisi quod con••enta∣neum sit doctrinae veteris aut Novi Testamenti, quod∣que ex il••â psà Do¦ctrinâ Catholi••i ••a∣tres & v••teres Epis∣copi 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lib. quo••und Canon. An 15••1. Ed. II. D. Sparrow p. 238.
• b 1.28

  Ter∣tul. ad Scapul.
• c 1.29

  Dr. Ham∣mond on i. Tim. 1. 18.
• d 1.30

  Lam∣prid. in Alexan. Severo & ibid. Casaub. S. Cypri∣an. Ep. 34.
• e 1.31

  So S. Cyprian. Pont. in vit. Cy∣prian.
• f 1.32

  So Aurelius S. Cypri∣an. Ep. 33. Cele∣rinus Id. Ep. 34. Numidi∣cus Ep. 35.
• g 1.33

  Vid. Pamel. in Ep. 9. S. Cypri∣an. & B. Rhena. & ali••s ad Tertul a•• Mar∣tyr.
• h 1.34

  Can. of the Church of Ire∣land xl.
• i 1.35

  Tit. i.
• k 1.36

  Tit. ii. 5.
• l 1.37

  Tit. i. 11.
• m 1.38

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Trad••e. sub nomine S. Mat∣thiae Apostole apud Clem. Alex. Strom. vii. p. 537. Edit. Lugd. Bat. 1616.
• * 1.39

  S. Luke. xvi. 31.
• n 1.40

  Jer. i. 18. vi. 27. xv. 20.
• o 1.41

  v 8.
• p 1.42

  v. 7.
• q 1.43

  Jer. vi 14. viii. 11.
• r 1.44

  Act. vii. 51. 52
• s 1.45

  Act. ii. 36 iii. 13. 14. 15. iv. 10. xiii. 10. 11.
• t 1.46

  Act. iv 13 29. xlii 46. vid nam. xix.
• u 1.47

  2 Tim iv. 2. Tit. ii. 15.
• x 1.48

  ••S. Justin. Martyr against Crescens a Cyni••k. Philosopher, and the Romanes Apol. and Tertullian ad Scap. & Apol. S. Cyprian ad Deme∣trian, &c.
• y 1.49

  Mat. iv. 19. Mark. i. 17. 2 Cor. xii. 16.
• z 1.50

  Port. Moss. E∣dit. Oxo∣niens. 1655 p. 38. 139. 140. &c.
• a 1.51

  apud Pl••ton. in Phaed.
• b 1.52

  Pl. lviii. 5.
• c 1.53

  S. Mat. x. 16.
• d 1.54

  1 Cor. xii. 16.
• e 1.55

  Heb. ii. 17. 18.
• f 1.56

  Mat. vii. 29. Mark. i. 22 Luk. iv. 32.
• g 1.57

  1 Cor. ii. 4.
• h 1.58

  Num. x••ii. xiv.
• i 1.59

  S. Pet iii. 16.
• k 1.60

  Tit. ii. 10. i. Pet. ii. 12.
• l 1.61

  S. Ma. v. 13. Mark. ix. 50. Luk. xiv. 34.
• m 1.62

  Mat. v. 14.
• n 1.63

  Phil. ii. 15.
• o 1.64

  Mat. v. 15. Mark iv. 21. Luk. viii. 16. xi. 33.
• p 1.65

  Mat. v. 16.
• q 1.66

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• r 1.67

  Rom. xii. 17. 2 Cor. viii. 21.
• s 1.68

  Au∣gustin. Lib. vi. Confess. c. 3.
• t 1.69

  Aca∣cius Ber∣ae••rs Soz••m. Eccl. Hist. Lib. vii. c 27. Ni••eth. Cal. Lib. xii. c. 17.
• u 1.70

  S. Ma. vi. 2. 5.
• x 1.71

  Ib. v. 3.
• y 1.72

  1 Cor. ••••. ••7.
• z 1.73

  〈…〉〈…〉. 4.
• * 1.74

  Mar. vii. 38. Luk. ix. 26.
• a 1.75

  Exod. xiv. 14.
• b 1.76

  Prov. xx. 27.
• c 1.77

  Joh. xvi. 13.
• d 1.78

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 Joh. ii. 20. 27.
• e 1.79

  Act. xii. 22.
• f 1.80

  This was required from all Ecclesiastical persons: Item, That every Ho∣ly-day throughout the year, when they have no Sermon, they shall immediately after the Gos∣pel, openly and plainly recite to their Parishioners in the Pulpit, the Pater Noster, the Credo, and the Ten Commandments in English, to the intent that the People may learn the same by heart, Ex∣horting all Parents and Housholders to teach their Children and Servants the same as they are bound by the Law of God, and in Conscience to do. Injunct▪ by K. Edward vi. in the Collect. aforesaid p. 23. In∣junct. by Q. Elizabeth A. 1559. p. 69 ib. Item, whether they have charged Fathers and Mothers, Masters and Governours of Youth, to bring them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in some virtuous study or▪ occupation. Arti••l. of Visitation by Archb, Cranin, under Eow. vi. p. 26.
• g 1.81

  This was en∣joyned on all Teachers of Children: 41. Item, That they shall accustome their Scholars reverently to learn such sen∣tences of Scrip∣ture as shall be most expedient to induce them to all godliness, Injunct. by Q. Eliz 1559. p. 78.
• h 1.82

  41. Item, That all Tea∣chers of Chil∣dren shall stir & mobe them to a love and due re∣verence of Gods true Religion, now truly set forth by publick Authority. In∣junct. by Queen Elizabeth 1559. p. 78.

  Et quoties habe∣bitur sacra Con∣cio, e••s vel emit∣tent, vel dedu∣cent a•• templum, ut statim a tene∣ris incipiant eru∣diri ad pietatem &c. Lib. Quo∣ru••d. Canon. An. 1571. p. 240. & Can. lxxix. An. 1603.
• i 1.83

  Church of Eng∣land visit. of the sick Can. cxiii. An. 1603.
• k 1.84

  Ibid. & Can. xix. lxiv.
• l 1.85

  Can. xix.
• * 1.86

  So also the Injunct of K. Edward vi. p. 10, the Articl. of v••sit. by Arch••, Cr••••mer p. 20. In∣junct. by Q. Eliz An. 1559 n ••••. p. 74 Articl. of visi∣tat. An. 1559. p. 178.