'TIS long since You have seen One in this Place, and probably might have been much longer, if the great Mercies of God to Us of this Kingdom, and the Valour, Prudence, and good Conduct of our Gratious King (whom God seems to have raised up on purpose to be an Emi­nent Instrument of his Glory in saving much People) had not otherwise disposed of Affairs.

And now that We are met together on this Oc­casion, I hope our meeting will be joyful, and to the mutual comfort of each other; For the accom­plishment whereof there is but one way, and that is, with Sincerity of Heart, and with firm Resolution of Mind, to endeavour the promoting God's Glory in the Salvation of Souls. This is the Duty of us all, and therefore the conscientious discharge of it must needs endear us to one another; and as for my part [Page 2]you may believe that nothing else can do it: (I am speaking to you, my Brethren of the Clergy) I say nothing can endear You to Me, yea nothing can endear You to God, but a conscientious discharge of your Duties, especially in these Bad Times, where­in there is so great a Necessity of it, and so great In­ducements to it; both which do deserve your serious Consideration.

First, I say, There is a great Necessity of it; be­cause these late Dissolute Times have put all things into Confusion; your Flocks are not only disorder'd, but perhaps they are dispers'd too; so that 'twill re­quire great Care and Pains to re-settle and compose your Congregations, and to bring them to that De­cency and Order, as before, yea, even to recollect and gather together those, whom the Violence of the Times, and the Madness of the People have driven from you, either into other Parts, or else in­to other Congregations.

And though Prudence and Moderation must be used on this Occasion (I mean chiefly in Reclaiming Lapsed Persons) yet I cannot forbear recommend­ing to you a Form lately Published for the Re-admis­sion of such Men: only be circumspect, and cautious, in the application of its Rules, pro rerum & persona­rum circumstantiis, that paenitentiae severitas gravita­ti lapsûs (quoad fieri possit) respondeat. I need not quote antient Canons for this way of proceeding in this case, seeing the primitive practice of the Church in that particular is sufficiently hinted in the Tract it self, to give you the true sence of Antiquity therein.

Wherefore leaving this Subject, I shall proceed to consider a little How this Duty (that is so necessary to be discharg'd conscientiously in these Bad Times) ought to be discharg'd by you, that it may be well and con­scientiously done, to the Glory of God, and the salva­tion of the Souls both of your selves and others; which are the Two Ends that your Duty doth point out, and whereunto you ought to have a special regard in all your Actions.

The Office of a Minister is habere curam Animarum, to take care of the Souls, which are committed to his charge, that he may bring them safe to Heaven, and be able to say (in a degree, and in some sence) as our Saviour Christ did, ^† Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

Now to perform this, two things are requisite.

1. That the People be rightly Taught and Instruct­ed.

2. That they be well Guided and Governed; I mean in Spiritual things, and in matters purely Ecclesiasti­cal (for the Business of the World, and of the State, belong not to us, but unto those whom God, and their Majesties, have appointed for such things.) I say

I. That the People be Taught and Instructed aright.

This is the first and most necessary point; because, unless they be well Inform'd concerning their Duty, they can never be well Govern'd either in Church or State. For how can Men do their Duty, to God or Man, if they do not know it? and how can they know it, if they are not taught? I mean by you; speaking of the generality of Men, or of the Community, who know not much of these things, [Page 4]but what their Minister teacheth them, or at least will not put in practice what they do know, farther than he by his frequent Exhortations and Admoniti­ons doth perswade, and even force them.

'Tis your Duty then to Inform and Instruct your People concerning their Duties, or to teach them what God and their Majesties do expect from them, and to excite them to the due performance thereof, without which they can neither be Good Subjects, nor good Christians. And how they may become both these you are to teach them by your wholesom and sound Doctrine, and also by your Godly and Pious Examples.

1. By your wholesome and sound Doctrine, by right­ly Dividing the Word of Truth, and clearly expound­ing the Lively Oracles of God to them, that so they may know what the Lord requires of them. And for the doing this most effectually, and to the best be­hoof of the People, there are three special means prescribed by our Church in the 12th. Canon of the Church of Ireland, namely, Catechizing, Preaching, and Private Exhortation or Conference.

1. Catechizing; which is the first and most proper means for conveying the true Knowledge of God and his Ordinances to the People; because it doth it in a plain and familiar manner, suited to the Capacities of the youngest and meanest; and yet most effectu­ally too, (by laying a good and sollid foundation for Divine Knowledge) when the Catechism is well ex­pounded, as it ought to be; whereby those of Riper Years, as well as the Youth will be instructed. And indeed, unless your Parishioners be first of all firmly grounded in the Principles of Christianity (which is [Page 5]to be done by Expounding the Catechism to them so plainly that it may be understood by all, and by Inculcating it so frequently and importunately, that it can be forgotten by none; and also by Applying it so aptly and pertinently, that its Use may be known by every one) your Preaching will be almost lost up­on them; at least they cannot profit so much by hearing the Word preach'd, as they might do if they were well Principl'd in Religion before hand, and by reason of use had their Senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil; as the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews expresseth it in the 5th. Chap. and 14th Vers.

What is to be done in this case our Church hath fully prescribed in her 11th. and 12th. Canons.

The 11th. Canon runs thus, Every Parson, Vicar, and Curate, upon every Sunday before Evening Prayer, shall for Half an Hour, or more, Examin and Instruct the Youth and Ignorant Persons of his Parish, in the Ten Commandments, the Articles of the Belief, and in the Lords Prayer, and shall diligently Hear, and In­struct, and Teach them the Catechism set forth in the Book of Common Prayer. Mark it: 'Tis said Ʋpon eve­ry Sunday. And of this I must require you to take notice, and diligently to put it in practice, where your Churches stand so conveniently, that you may have a Congregation in the Afternoon, and where there are Children and Servants to be Catechized; as doubtless no Parish is without them. And this I the rather enjoin, because the First Rubrick at the end of the Church Catechism (which is a Law to us) doth also enjoin the same thing.

The 12th Canon requires, That the Heads of the Catechism be divided into Fifty two parts, and one of [Page 6]them be explained to the People every Sunday in every Parish; which is to be done without running into curi­ous Questions, and unnecessary Controversies; but shortly Declaring and Confirming the Doctrine propos'd, and making Application thereof to the behoof of the Hear­ers.

And certainly there was never more need of put­ting these Canons in practice then now, when the Lord's People are destroy'd for lack of Knowledge, as God complains by the mouth of the Prophet Hosea, Chap. 4. Vers. 6. Whereby many of them are turn'd to Idolatry, others to a loose and prophane way of liv­ing; and all do seem to be too little sensible of God's mercies to them. And whence proceeds all this, but from their want of being well instructed in the very Principles of Christianity? which would have secur'd them from revolting from the Faith, if they had once well understood it? 'twould have strengthned them a­gainst all the solicitations of the Flesh, if they had well understood their Baptismal Vow, and the terms of the Gospel; and 'twould have made them sensible of Cods Mercies to them, if they had known how they are by Nature born in Sin, and the Children of Wrath. All which the Church Catechism teacheth them.

Wherefore seeing the great Mischiefs that have a­risen from this neglect of Catechizing, (which are many more than I have now named, or can in a short time enumerate) you ought to be very careful for the future of doing your Duty herein, least, by ruin­ing the Souls of others through your neglect, you should deserve the Curse mentioned in the latter part of the fore-mentioned Verse, Because thou hast reject­ed Knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be [Page 7]no Priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God, I will also forget thy Children.

But I may not dwell on this Subject: your own Thoughts will suggest to you many more Arguments to press the necessity of putting this Duty in practice at this time, after the People have been so long with­out due Instruction: to which I shall leave you, and proceed to the second thing, which is

2. Preaching. This is the unquestionable Duty of every one that hath Cure of Souls. 2 Tim 4.2. Preach the Word (saith St. Paul) be instant in season, out of season, re­prove, rebuke, exhort; And it is the ordinary means for getting Faith in the Hearers; ^† For how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a Preacher? And yet Experi­ence teacheth us, that Preaching it self is for the most part very unsuccessful, where the Hearers are not before hand well grounded in Religion by Catechiz­ing: because to such Men Sermons do (as they say) go in at one Ear and out at the other; especially when they are made upon various Subjects, that neither have any relation to the Season, nor yet any de­pendance one upon another.

To prevent which Inconvenience I would exhort.

First, That your Sermons be plain and practical, fuited to the Capacities and Exegencies of your Hear­ers, treating chiefly of the most substantial and neces­sary Truths in Religion, which it behooveth every Man to know in order to his Salvation, (especially concerning the Fall of Man, the Offices of Christ, and the nature of the Covenant of Grace) and pressing them home with practical Inferences and Observations, that may be as so many Rules for your Parishioners to [Page 8]walk by: not amusing them with too sublime and speculative matters; such as are the Doctrine of the Trinity, of God's Decrees, of the Mysteries of the In­carnation, and the like: farther than just to confirm the People in a belief of the truth of these things, when they come so in your way, that they cannot well be passed over without saying something to them; but not at all to attempt explaining How they are so; which cannot be done. I say your Sermons to the People should not treat of too sublime and spe­culative matters; nor yet should they treat of plain and familiar matters after too sublime and speculative a manner; as in Scholastick terms, running out into need­less Controversies, overlarding your Discourses with La­tine and Greek, and the like; unless where there may be a necessity of it for Explication, or Illustration, and there are some Hearers capable of understanding it. This I speak of Ordinary Preaching, and 'tis the first advice I would give about it.

2. The Second is, That your Sermons be methodical in themselves, and have relation one to another; I mean that they contein such a series and contexture of matter, as that they, and the parts of them, may depend one on the other, and the knowledge of the latter may receive light from the former, and what went before may be confirmed by what follows af­ter. 'Twould be of admirable use, if in this method you went through the whole Principles of our Religi­on; I mean in ordinary Preaching. For as to occasio­nal Preaching, that is upon extraordinary Occasions, (of which there are many certain and stated, and may be more incident ones in the year:) Upon Ex­traordinary Occasions. I say, Sermons must contein [Page 9]extraordinary matter, or be suited to the Exigence. By this Method in Preaching the People might in a little time be well acquainted with the whole Body of Divinity, which they would the better understand and remember by the series, connexion, and depen­dence of its parts, that should often be shewn and re­peated to them, that so they might retain the Con­sequence of the Discourse, and the Relation it hath to what went before: For Method doth much help the Memory even of the Illiterate. Whereas by Immetho­dical Discourses (though they contein ever so sound Divinity) and by Sermons preached on various Sub­jects (chosen by accident, or as the Preacher phansies) that have no relation to, or dependance on each o­ther (which is too commonly practised) the Hear­ers are rather confounded than edified, being distract­ed betwixt variety of particular disjointed matters, that they cannot reduce to any common Head or Member of the Body of Divinity. Their Passions indeed may be warmed and raised by some pathetical Expressions of the Preacher; but their Judgments can never be well informed by such a confused heap of matter, as in this case is laid before them; which they will be apt to forget, almost as fast as they hear it, and after pains taken with them for some Years, they will be but just where they were before; not advanc'd in their knowledge one step farther toward Heaven.

Nor doth this way of Preaching want its advan­tages even to the Preachers themselves; especially to Young Preachers, who may be presumed not to have so well weigh'd and consider'd, and so thorough­ly study'd every part and member of the Body of Di­vinity, as they ought, and as this will oblige them to [Page 10]do; whereby there Knowledge will dayly be much improved, and particularly in the more useful, that is, in the Practical Parts of it, by constantly apply­ing to practice what they teach the People. And having once carefully gone through the Body of Divi­nity at this rate, by Preaching on every part of it; they will for ever after be plentifully furnished with matter (both Speculative and Practical) for Discourse, or Sermons on all Occasions whatsoever, that may happen during the whole course of their Ministry, and will (as the Man of God ought to) be, thorough­ly furnish'd unto all Good Works, whether it be to Teach them to others or Practise them themselves.

What I have further to say on this Head of Preach­ing is only

First,

To admonish you concerning your Funeral Ser­mons, that you take care not to be over lavish in your Praises of the Dead; least others may thereby think themselves secure in following their Examples.

Secondly,

To Remind you of what our Church hath pre­scribed as to the duty of preaching? which is conteined in the 2d, 3d, 9th, 10th, 12th, 25th, 26th, and 27th. Canons of the Church of Ireland, that do mostly relate to the Matter, or to the Time, or to the Place of Ser­mons.

1. As to the Matter of Sermons.

That you preach up the Regal Supremacy Four times in a Year at least. Can. 2.

That in your Sermons you do not derogate from the Book of Common Prayers. Can. 3.

Nor do particularly, and namely, Confute any Do­ctrine [Page 11]deliver'd by any other Preacher, in the same, o [...] in any other adjoining Church, without Leave from the Bishop. Can. 10.

Nor do teach any Vain Opinions, or Heresies, or Po­pish Errors, disagreeing from the Articles of Religion generally received in the Churches of England and Ire­land; or any thing at all whereby the People may be stirred up to the desire of Novelties or Contention; but shall soberly, and sincerely, divide the Word of Truth, to the Glory of God, and the best Edification of the People. Can. 9. Teaching them to place their whole Trust and Confidence in God, and not in Creatures, neither in the Habit of any Fryer, nor in Hallowed Beads, Medals, Reliques, and such like Trumperies. Can. 12.

Thus our Church speaks concerning the Matter of Sermons.

2. As to the Time. That every Beneficed Man, al­lowed to be a Preacher, (as God be thanked all ours are) and residing on his Benefice, having no lawful Im­pediment, shall in his own Cure preach one Sermon every Sunday of the Year. Can. 9. Of which I desire you to take notice, and to practice it. And

3. As to Place,

That no Minister Preach (or Administer the Holy Communion) in any private House; except it be in times of Necessity. Can. 21.

That every Dean, Master, Warden, or other Chief Governour; Prebendaries, and Canons in every Cathe­dral and Collegiate Church, shall preach in the time of their Residence, both in the Cathedral and in their Pa­rish Churches. Can. 26th. and 27th.

And this is what's requir'd concerning Preaching.

The third thing is,

3. Private Exhortation and Conserence; which are [Page 12]of the greatest moment in the Ministerial Function: For by this means only can you come to learn the true state of the Souls of your People; without which you can never apply suitable Remedies either for their Instruction or Correction. 'Tis like a Physician's visit­ing his Patients, that by observing the Symptoms, Growth, and Crisis of their Distempers, he may be able to apply proper Physick properly.

You are Physicians of Souls, employed under our great Master Physician, Christ; and therefore you ought (within your own bounds and limits) to fol­low Christ's pactise herein; who went about doing good.

And indeed great need there is of this for the con­scientious discharge of your Duties (it being one of those things, which you promised to do, when you were admitted into Holy Orders) and that in respect of all your Parishioners, that you may have an op­portunity more particularly, both to Instruct them in those things whereof they are ignorant, and also to Reprove them for what they do amiss; which can­not so well be done in publick. But this is more e­specially needful in respect of two sorts of Persons, viz. Recusants, and those that are sick.

1. concerning Recusants; because 'tis a thing that I fear hath been too much neglected every where, and could never be put in practise more seasonably than now: Hear what the 40th. Canon saith in this Case.

Every Minister being a Preacher, and having any Popish Recusant or Recusants in his Parish (and thought fit by the Bishop of the Diocess) shall labour dige [...]t [...]y with them from time to time, thereby to reclaim them from their Errors.

That this Canon be carefully and duly observed, I must both earnestly desire, and also require of you. My Reasons for so doing need not to be insisted on; they are many, which could hardly be all hinted to you in the little time that I have lest for this Exhorta­tion; but withal they are obvious to every Mans consideration, who minds the Good of the Church and State, and hath any love to his Neighbours, and seriously intends to discharge his Duty Conscientious­ly to Gods Glory and the Salvation of Mens Souls. However the bare injunction of the Canon is sufficient for my Justification herein. Whereto I have also the suffrage of all Pious and well meaning Men, and doubt not of your ready compliance with the Chur­ches Command and my Request; that is, that you will concur with Me in carrying on so pious a work, as the endeavouring to Open the Eyes of the Blind, and to bring into the right way such as have err'd and are gone astray. Which good work God Almighty pros­per in our hands: And that it may do so the more, we should let Them (and all other Dissenters, we con­verse with) see, That, we have a love to their Souls; that which we do is with a design to save them, and to make them happy for ever; and that our only en­deavour is to put them in the right way to Heaven, and if possible to bring them thither. For which purpose we must, always treat them with the Spirit of Meek­ness and of Love: else our labour will be but lost up­on them. For Haughtiness and Bitterness of Spirit do but incense and provoke, and is rather apt to drive men out of the Church, than ro bring any into it.

2. As for those that are sick; You do all very well know how necessary 'tis to Visit them, to Pray with and for them, to Instruct, Exhort and Comfort them. And therefore I hope you do duly practise it (as the 41th. Canon doth enjoin) towards all, although they have not formerly resorted to the Church, (they are the express words of the Canon) and although you are not sent for, having knowledge of their being Sick; which is the plain meaning of the Canon, where it saith, When any person is dangerously sick in any Parish (although they have not formerly resorted to the Church) the Minister or Curate, having knowledge thereof, shall resort to him or her to instruct and comfort them in their distress, &c. Read the Canon well over I beseech you, and seriously consider what it re­quires you to do; You are to resort to the Sick, with­out expecting 'till you are sent for. 'Tis said, ha­ving Knowledge, (which way soever it comes) not, having Notice (namely from the Sick Persons) of their being sick.

Indeed besides the necessity of so doing in that Extream Exigence, for the direction of a Depart­ing Soul, in the right way to Heaven, how incon­gruous is it, that the Sick Persons should put you in mind of your Duty? whereas you ought to put them in mind of theirs. The very Popish Priests do shame us in this particular. And shall they be so warm and zealous in a Bad Cause, and we be cold and negligent in a Good One? God forbid, God for­bid, let it never be once more named among us, nor yet any just occasion hereafter be given for Men to make Reflections thereupon, as they are too apt to do, whenever the least occasion thereunto is ad­ministred. [Page 13]I shall only add hereto, That you would be very cautious how you behave your selves towards Men on their Death-beds; that you neither run them into Presumption nor Despair; that you do not send some to Hell with false hopes, and let others go to Heaven without any: That you do not give Absolu­tion upon slight Repentance, nor deny it where the Repentance is hearty and sincere; but withall inform­ing them how rare it is to find Death-bed Repentance to be indeed sincere.

I might have enlarged on all these particulars; but I hold it sufficient to have given only some hints to Men of Conscience and Ʋnderstanding.

And as you are thus to teach your Flocks by your wholesom and sound Doctrines: so are you more parti­cularly (and perhaps more effectually) to instruct and to lead them.

2. By your Godly and Pious Examples: Your Lives ought to be Comments upon your Doctrine: at least you are bound to confirm the truth of what you teach others, by your own constant practise of it; thereby treading out all the same steps, that you would have them to walk in; as Christ (the great Shepherd of Souls) did, who saith, Joh. 13.15. I have given you an Example, that you should do as I have done; that so in all things you may shew your selves patterns of good works, Tit. 2.7. 1 Pet. 5.2 and thereby be made ensamples to the Flock of Christ. But if you your selves will not do, what you teach and exhort others to do, they will present­ly conclude, that all you say is but a trick and de­sign to cheat them; that because you must in pru­dence do some thing for your Tythes, you do there­fore Preach to them indeed (once a week); but you [Page 16]teach them what you your selves do not believe to he true; otherwise certainly you would put in pra­ctice the same Duties which you prescribe to them to be done in order to their obtaining Happiness in the life to come, if you did seriously believe there shall be such a state after this Life is ended, and that the only means for obteining it, is to be diligent in the exercise and practice of all those Virtues and Graces which you so often inculcate to them, as mainly ne­cessary for that very end and purpose to be done. Whence it will be natural for them to infer, (at least for those who are prophanely, or but loosly inclin'd, as too many every where are) That all Religion is but a matter of State Policy, that might as well be let alone as practis'd, if the Civil Government would so please. And when Men have taken up this Notion of Religion, 'tis too plain what manner of Christians they will soon prove.

And thus if Clergy-men be not regular, strict, and exemplary in their Lives, but do allow themselves too muck liberty in their Conversations, they will do far more Hurt by their pactice all the Week, than they can possibly do Good by their Preaching on the Sundays; and will endanger sending many Souls to Hell, whom they should lead and carry with them up to Heaven. And what miserable Creatures will such unhallowed Preachers be at the last day? How will they answer it at the Great Tribunal, when all the Souls, which they have misled by their loose or evil Behaviour, will be requir'd at their hands? Con­sider this, I beseech you; and also what great mis­chief the bad Examples of Ministers doth to our Chri­stian Religion, which it causeth the Enemies of God [Page 17]to reproach; and to our Reformed Church, which it undermines and subverts; and to our Holy Function, which it shamefully prostitutes and disgraces; as well raising us Enemies, as opening the Mouths of those, that are so, against us. Consider it, I say, se­riously. And further observe, that there are many Liberties, which other men may use innocently, that would be very sinful in Ministers, by reason of their giving Offence and becoming Scandals thereby: as I could shew in many particulars, had I time for it, and were it necessary here to be done.

God's Holy Word is a perfect Rule for you to walk by your selves, whilest 'tis incubment on you to teach others to walk by the same Rule. Besides which the Canons of our Church have more particularly pre­scrib'd the Minister his Duty in many places, especi­ally as to Conversation, in Canon 42d. Entitled, Con­cerning soberness of Conversation, and decency of Appa­rel requir'd in Ministers. Read it over attentively, and make application, I pray you. And have a ten­der regard to your own Reputations as Ministers, by endeavouring always to walk so circumspectly, that your Parishioners may not fear to tread in your steps; always to lead your Flocks in that good and sure way wherein they may safely follow you; in all things to behave your selves inoffensively and unblameably, and to live so holily and devoutly as be­cometh Ministers of the Gospel, Ambassadors for Christ, and Stewards of the Mysteries of God. I say, Let your Conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ, carefully avoiding all occasions, and absteining from all appearance of evil, and in so doing, The God of Peace be with you.

I shall dwell no longer on this unpleasant Subject; hoping that I may find hereafter by the Godly Lives of you all, that there was no need for so much as mentioning it to you; much less that I should insist so long upon it, as I have done; if I had not at the same time especially desir'd to appear your faithful Monitor herein.

And having now spoken enough concerning the first way, whereby the Minister is to discharge his Du­ty about the Cure of Souls, namely, by Teaching and Instructing the People aright; I proceed to consider of the second thing requir'd in order thereunto, which is

II. That the People be well guided and govern'd in Spiritual things, or in matters Ecclesiastical; which is always necessary, but never more so than now, after so long a time of disorder and confusion.

Now of this there are many Branches, all which may be comprised under this one general Head, Of keeping good Order and Decency in your Congregations. For the doing whereof something must be requir'd on your part, and something on the part of your Parishio­ners; of both which you ought to take special care, that they may be well and duly perform'd, as being those things, whereof you must give an account at the Day of Judgment.

1, On your part 'tis requir'd that you be diligent in the discharge of these following Duties; as namely

1. That you have Divine Service perform'd in due time and manner: both in the Aforenoon and Afternoon of every Sunday and Holyday; as the Sixth and Se­venth Canons, and the Act of Ʋniformity do injoin: and likewise, That you read Prayers publickly in your [Page 19]Churches on other Week-days (especially on Wednes­days and Fridays) in all Towns, and other Places, where your Churches stand so conveniently that you may have a Congregation (as the 15th. Canon of the Church of England prescribeth.) And you are also to Exhort your People to be constant and diligent in attending Divine Service.

'Tis objected as a Reproach to our Religion (at least to the Professors of it) by those, who have but little reason to Object any thing against us, That our Churches stand shut all the week long. I am sure the thing is very unbeseeming (to say no worse) and ought to be amended; and I pray let it be so for the future, where it may be done.

2. That you read the Prayers distinctly, gravely and seriously, with a due sense of Devotion on your own Hearts, which will beget and kindle it in the Hearers. There's nothing brings more discredit to the Service then the slubbering it over carelesly; which makes it to be loathed by some, and to be despised and con­temned by others: nowithstanding that the Prayers are as Serious and Pious things as can be pen'd, and do breath as much Devotion, as any that can be read.

You ought therefore to bring suitable Devotion when you go to read Prayers; and in your performing it you ought to endeavour to excite Devotion in your Hearers; otherwise you can only be said to read or to say Prayers, and your People, to hear Prayers said or read unto them; but neither of you can be truly and properly said to Pray; because this can no way be done on either side without a due measure of De­votion in the performance.

3. That on every Sunday you do give Notice of what Fast dayes and Feast (or Holy) dayes there are to be in the following week (according as the Rubrick doth require;) and that you do observe them your selves together with your Parishioners. And likewise that upon the said Sundays or Holydays in the Afternoon, before Divine Service, you do publickly in the Church read over all the Canons and Constitutions of the Church of Ireland Once every Year, as King Charles the First of Blessed Memory, in his Ratification of the said Canons hath commanded. And also that you do read the Act of Parliament against Prophane Swearing and Cursing: and those other Acts of Par­liament which the King and Parliament have comman­ded to be read publickly in the Church Once every Year; as by the same Acts is prescribed. (For which purpose I have caus'd them to be printed at the End of this Admonition.)

4. That the Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ be frequently administred (Once a Month, if it may be; at least Once every Quarter of a Year) and that in the administration thereof Decency be observ'd, according to the Rubrick, which is full and plain enough. Whereto if the 18th. 19th. 20th. 21th. and 63d. Canons of the Church of Ireland be added, you will have compleat directions for all occurrences or occasions that may happen on that Subject.

5. That Baptism be administred to Infants whenever desir'd; but so that it be done at the Time and in the Manner that the Rubrick doth require; and likewise in the Church and at the Font; Except in Case of Necessity: The 14th. 15th. and 16th. Canons also are a Rule herein.

6. That you Celebrate Matrimony in the Church between Eight and Twelve in the Morning (not in pri­vate Houses, nor in the Evening) and that before the doing of this, the Banns be publisht in the Church or Churches, where the parties live, Three several Sundays or Holydays in the time of Divine Service; (and that you do thereupon take care, that no lawful Im­pediment may lye against either of the Persons so to be joyn'd in Wedlock, for which they ought to be rejected:) Except a Faculty, or Licence from the Bishop, for doing it without the publication of Banns, be duly and regularly obteined. The Rubrick and the 49th. and 52d. Canons do require this; the non observance whereof renders a Minister lyable to De­privation, if he be Benificed; if not to Degradation; as the same 52d. Canon hath it. And good Reason there is for it; because it always brings disgrace upon our Function, for not observing due Orders and obey­ing the Constitutions of our Church; and moreover it doth many times ruine whole Families, by too surreptitiously closing up either Cross and Ʋnfortunate Matches, or else such as are Clandestine, Forc't, In­cestuous, or otherwise Illegal. Wherefore this Crime must never escape punishment, where it may be de­tected, and the Fact be sufficiently prov'd; nor (by Gods help) ever shall it go free, whilest the power of restreining such Irregularities shall lye in my hands; and the matter it self be capable of any redress.

7. That you prepare the Children of your respective Parishes to be Confirm'd (which is to be done by well Instructing them in the Catechism; that before was spoken to). And also, That you Instruct them, and all other your Parishioners in the Nature and Benefit of [Page 22]Confirmation; (that the one may know, what it is to take their Baptismal Vow upon them, when they come to do it; and the other may be re-minded what Vow they then took upon them, when they did it.) And furthermore. That you do Exhort, and Excite, and bring (or send) all those to it, who being well fitted and prepared for that Ordinance, have not yet been Confirm'd; as is prescrib'd in the 17th. Canon, and in the 3d. and 4th. Rubrick of the Church Catechism. And I for my part shall be ready to do my Duty therein, as often as there shall be occasion.

Hereto may be added Four other particulars, very necessary to be observ'd, thô not falling directly un­der this Head; and here I recommend to you

1. The Reconciling Neighbours, and becoming Peace­makers; Which is the Duty of all good Christians, but more especially of Ministers, who are Preachers of the Gospel of Peace. And for your encouragement hereunto our Saviour Christ hath pronounc'd a Bles­sing on such in Matth. 5.9. saying. Blessed are the Peace makers, for they shall be call'd the Children of God.

Nor are you only to be Peace makers, but also to be peaceably-minded your selves, that you may live in Love and Charity with your Neighbours, and with one another. Differences with your Parishioners will render your Ministry ineffectual to them: and Diffe­rences between your selves will bring Disgrace and Scandal upon your Profession, and be apt to make your persons odious to all men.

The second thing that I here recommend to you is,

2. The having a Care of the Poor of your Parishes; [Page 23]to provide for their Wants and Necessities as far as you are able, and to Stir up your Parishioners to do the like, either by way of Publick Collection for them in your Parish Churches on Sundays, or else by Assessment on the respective Inhabitants for the weekly maintenance of such as are Lame, Decrepit, or otherwise Infirm, and cannot work; and (if it may be) to provide Work for those that can. This is a business highly becoming your Function and Character; and you will render it the more benifici­al to them, and acceptable to God Almighty, if you mind their Souls at the same time, when you are careful for their Bodies, and feed them with the Spiritual Food of Eternal Life by your private and Godly Instructions, when you administer unto them Bodily and Perishing Food, that tends only to the preservation of this temporal life. Especially be di­ligent in Visiting them in the time of their Sickness, as Persons that stand more in need of your assistance at that time, both as to their Bodies and to their Souls, than others do, who are more able, and also more knowing, and therefore less lyable to miscarry, for want of a Spiritual Guide than such People ge­nerally are.

And let this Admonition sink deep with you. Nor would I have you to understand it only of the Poor, in the vlugar acceptation of the word, for the Poor in Body or in Purse; but in proportion also of the Poor in Spirit, of the afflicted and grieved in Mind, on what occasion soever, who stand in need of Spiritual Com­fort; which I pray watch all occasions of admini­string to them, and do all that may be done to sa­tisfie their Doubts, to quicken their Faith, to revive [Page 24]their Hope, to banish their Despondence, at least to make them happy in another world, if they cannot be so in this. The third thing is

3. The taking care to Register all Marriages, Chri­stianings and Burials; the neglect whereof doth fre­quently prove injurious, not only to Single Persons, but also to whole Families, when the legality of Mens Marriages or time of their Births doth happen upon some Extraordinary and great Occasions to be call'd in question. Wherefore I must recommend this to your special care. As also

4. The bringing in a Terrier of the Glebe-lands and all other Possessions belonging to your Churches, and lodg­ing them in the Registry of the Diocess; that the Churches Patrimony may be preserv'd inviolable; as the 44th. Canon doth require. And how necessary this is to be done in this Kingdom (where such havock hath been made of the Churches Lands) that so we may have some Constat of what anciently did, as well as of what now doth, belong to the Church, you do all very well know. And therefore I hope that you (with the assistance of your Church Wardens and other ancient Inhabitants of your respective Parishes) will take special care, and use your utmost endeavours, to get it effectually done after this one warning, without standing in need to be again call'd upon for it; as being a thing highly advantageous both to your Chur­ches, your Selves and your Successors, where such Glebes or other Possessions are and can be found out.

And thus much may suffice to be spoken at present concerning what is to be done on the Ministers part. But furthermore you are to take care, that the People committed to your Charge do their Duty also; because [Page 25]for this purpose you are set over them, as Watch men, as Pastors, and as Spiritual Governors. Now

2. On the Peoples part 'tis requir'd that they be con­formable to the Orders of the Church. And that,

1. In coming constantly and timely to Church, and behaving themselves seriously and attentively there, Without Whispering, Sleeping, or Gazing about on e­very one that comes in (which they would not do, if they did mind the Duty they are upon) and likewise in the time of Divine Service, using all such reverent gestures and actions, as by the Book of Common Prayer are prescrib'd; as you may read in the 6th. and 7th. Canons of the Church of Ireland.

2. In coming frequently to the Holy Communion; at least Three times in the Year, whereof Easter to be one, as the Rubrick to the Communion Service and the 18th, Canon doth require.

And because that Men's neglect herein ariseth part­ly from their Ignorance of the Nature and Necessity of this Sacrament, and partly from their Sloth and Lazyness, or (which is worse) from their Secret aversion to things Sacred and Divine; which they endeavour to cover by feign'd Excuses, or by Preten­ces sought for, that have nothing material in them, which can be of weight enough to countervail the Omission of a Duty so necessary incumbent on them: 'Tis required, that in your preparatory Sermons here­unto you do, from time to time, carefully instruct your Parishioners in the Nature of this Sacrament, and endeavour to convince them of the Necessity of fre­quent Communicating therein, and of the great Bene­fits that are to be injoyed by the worthy partaking of the same; and also that you do Answer all those Cavills [Page 26]and Objections, that some make against the Manner and Frequency of receiving it, and the Exceptions or Excuses that others are too apt to make against their own receiving it, either at all, or at such a time, in such a place and with such Communicants, after such a­manner, and from such a Person, and the like. Whereby they may have nothing left to plead for themselves, if they refuse or neglect to Communicate at the ordinary times of Administration; which will both justifie you and render their Omissions inexcusable.

3. In bringing their Children duly to the Church, there to be publickly baptized on the first or second Sun­day (or on some intervening Holy day) next after they are born: unless thrô their weakness (or for some other urgent cause) it may be found necessary to Bap­tize them at home; as is prescrib'd in the Rubrick for Private Baptism.

And for the more due observance of this Constitu­tion, you are diligently to instruct the Parents in the nature of Baptism and the Necessity thereof, together with the grounds of Infant Baptism, and the Reasons for it's being celebrated publickly in the Church in the face of the whole Congregation. As namely, (1) That the Infants to be baptiz'd may enjoy the benefit of the Godly Prayers of the whole Congregation there assembled, both on them and on that Ordinance. And also (2) That The Congregation present may testifie the receiving such Children into Christs Church; And likewise (3) That every Man present may be put in remembrance of his own profession made to God in his Baptism: which two last are mention'd in the Ru­brick for Publick Baptisme; and they are all three of great Concernment to us in our Christian Warfare, [Page 27]And besides this, how uncouth and how incongruous is it that Children should be admitted into the Church at Home? In like manner, as it is unseemely and quite besides the design; yea contrary to the Rubrick, that Women should be Church'd in their own Houses.

Of these things you are frequently to admonish them, that they may do their Duty therein: And also

4. In causing their Children and Servants to come to Church every Sunday to be Catechiz'd by the Minister; as the 2d Rubrick of the Church Catechism appoint­eth; which if they neglect or refuse to do, they are to be compell'd to it by Church Censures, by virtue of the 11th. Canon.

And so soon as these Catechumens are well instruct­ed in the Church Catechism, they are to be brought to the Bishop to be Confirm'd by him? whereof their Godfathers and Godmothers are to take care; as the close of the Form of Publick Baptism doth command, and the 3d. Rubrick of the Church Catechism doth likewise intimate.

I say, of these and the like things, (which would be too long to insist on more particularly) you ought frequently to put your People in mind, that they may do their Duty therein, as becometh good Chri­stians; 1 Cor. 14.40. that so (according to St. Paul's directions) all things [in your Congregations] may be done decent­ly and in order.

And thus I have pointed out to you the chief of those many Duties that do require your Conscientious Dis­charge of them: the Necessity whereof is now greater than ever; because in all (or most) of them we are [Page 28]unhappily run into mighty disorders, which have been growing upon us a long while, and are much encreased of late by these unhappy disorderly times, that we have so many other ways also groan'd under. Which Abuses ought speedily to be reform'd; And for so doing, besides the Necessity of it, that hath hi­therto been spoken to.

Secondly, You have great Inducements and Incou­ragements thereunto; which was the other thing men­tion'd in the beginning, as worthy of your serious Confideration. And these are many, out of which I shall at present select only three, viz.

1. The keeping a good Conscience in discharging your Duty towards God in the sacred and most weighty work of the Ministry; which will prove a continual Feast, and afford you more solid content and satisfaction, even in this life, than all things else in the World can do: and when you come to dye, and that all other worldly comforts do vanish, this will stand by you, and accompany you into the other World, and will appear for you at the Day of Judgment, when you must give an account of all your Actions.

2. The great likelehood there is of your becoming emi­nently serviceable to our Church, in bringing many Souls into it, and in settling good Orders therein. You have now such an opportunity for this, that the like hath not been known before; I need not tell you, how; that is apparent to every Mans Observation; Only Care, and Pains, and Industry, must be used in all the particulars before mentioned, and then, with God's Blessing upon your Endeavours (which you ought not to distrust) you may be glorious Instru­ments in his hands of doing much good to his Peo­ple, [Page 29]and may see of the travel of your Souls in that par­ticular and be satisfied; and that especially in

3. The turning many to Righteousness; which is a third motive, and the business of your Profession, that hath its reward in the other World, as well as in this, and that an exceeding great one too; for they that do so shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever, saith Daniel, Chap. 12. Vers. 3.

And may the good God of Heaven bestow this great Blessing upon you all for his dear Son Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.