1708. sincere endeavours with success: and at the same time I do assure you that I am, My dear brethren, Your most affectionate brother and humble servant, GEORGE ST. DAVID'S. The paper mentioned to be underwritten. WHEREAS the queen has issued forth her several proclamations, for suppressing vice and immorality; wherein she strictly enjoins all magistrates to put the laws impartially in execution against all persons that are guilty of profane cursing and swearing, profanation of the Lord's day, or any other vice and immorality; and whereas there has been a general defect in putting the laws in execution against such offenders, both in England and Wales, until lately the magistrates, in pursuance of the said several proclamations in England, have exerted themselves vigorously and impartially on these occasions, and have given countenance and encouragement to those persons that gave informations of the commission of the said crimes: therefore we, whose names are hereunto subscribed, being magistrates in the county of Caermarthen, do look upon ourselves to be under an indispensable duty to follow their good example; and we do hereby unanimously declare, that we will impartially put the laws in execution against all such persons, that shall curse and swear, and profane the Lord's day, or commit any other vice or immorality. And also we declare, that we will give all due countenance and encouragement to all such persons, that shall give us information of these crimes, being sensible, that they do the greatest 1708. acts of charity to the guilty persons, in endeavouring their reformation. And we do hereby farther declare and promise voluntarily, in order to silence an objection usually made, that magistrates are guilty, and do not pay; that we will pay any forfeiture we shall incur by the commission of the said crimes, being convinced that the poor have a right to it by law, and whosoever detains it will do an act of injustice; therefore no person must expect favour or connivance, since we are so impartial to ourselves. And we do hereby earnestly request the reverend the clergy of the several parishes of this county, to cause this to be written in a fair hand on parchment; and afterwards that they cause the churchwardens of their several parishes to fix it on a board, and frame it in; that it may be kept safe, and hung out at the church door duly every year three times, viz. at Whitsuntide, Easter, and Christmas, by the sextons of the several parishes, and at all times that the act of parliament against cursing and swearing is read in the churches; that all persons may be reminded often of these our resolutions, and to avoid the commission of the aforesaid crimes. Given under our hands, at open quarter-sessions, the sixth day of October, 1708. THOMAS POWELL. GRIFFITH LLOYD. THOMAS LLOYD. HENRY VAUGHAN. JOHN VAUGHAN. 1708. resided constantly cese. LXXVIII. One great means of maintaining the The bishop purity of the faith among the people, and discipline among the clergy in the primitive times, was the in his dio- constant residence of the bishop in his diocese; and the absence of prelates from that district committed to their particular superintendance hath been attended with fatal consequences to the churches under their government. The description which our Saviour maketh of the good shepherd seemeth to require their attendance; for how shall he know his sheep by their name, and how shall he walk before them, if he doth not constantly reside among them? And how shall any irregularities among the clergy be either prevented or rectified, when the episcopal authority is wanting to both purposes? The nature of the bishop's office, before settled revenues were affixed to bishoprics, required his constant attendance; for he had a particular authority in disposing the incomes of the church, and it was his care to see them managed to the best advantage. The ancient * councils have several canons, which require that all the incomes and oblations should be dispensed by the will and discretion of the bishop, to whose care the people and the souls of men are committed. The apostolical canons mention the same power; and though he had proper assistants under him, yet they were only stewards of his own appointing, and were accountable to him as the supreme. governor of his church. And when the empire became Christian, and churchmen became too secular, councils took care to regulate this matter: for the council of Sar * Mr. Bingham's Antiquities of the Christian Church, &c. vol. ii. P. 384. dica hath several canons which relate to it. The 1708. seventh decreeth, that no bishop should go to the emperor's court, unless the emperor by letter called him thither: the very next canon to that provides, that whereas there might be cases which might require a bishop to make some application to the emperor in behalf of the poor or widows, or of such who fled for sanctuary to the church, as condemned criminals, and the like; in such cases the deacons of the church were to be employed to go in his name, that the bishop might fall under no censure at court as neglecting the business of his church. Justinian hath a law of the same import, that no bishop should appear at court upon any business of his church, without the command of his prince. But if any petition was preferred to the emperor relating to any civil contest, the bishop should depute his apocrisiarius or resident at court to act for him, or send his œconomus, or some other of his clergy, to solicit the cause in his name, that the church might never receive damage by his absence, nor be put to unnecessary expenses. Another canon of the Sardican council limits the absence of the bishop to three weeks, unless it were upon some very weighty and urgent occasion. And another canon alloweth no more time for a bishop who is possessed of an estate to go and collect his revenues; and that with this condition, provided he celebrates divine service every Lord's day in the country church where his estate lieth. Our worthy bishop, in order to pursue his duty according to the directions of the great Shepherd of souls, chose his diocese for the only place of his residence; and by that means he made some amends for that imperfect manner wherewith he 1708. performed the administrations of his holy function; which did not proceed from negligence or any want of a right intention to discharge them, but from his weakness and infirmities, and from that load of years under which he now laboured. The bishop extremely niacal priest. It is a common observation, that the best things surprised by corruption become the worst; but I am sure it by a Simo- holds good in no case so surely as in those that undertake the priestly office; who if they contradict their ordination vows in the constant course of their lives, if they are false to those engagements which they solemnly entered into before God and the church, they become the greatest and most desperate sinners; their guilt is attended with the highest aggravation, and with the least hopes of repentance. An instance of such a deplorable wretch bishop Bull once met with; for while he lived at Brecknock, there was a certain clergyman applied to him for preferment, and being conscious of his want of those qualifications which the bishop required in those he advanced to any considerable station, he was resolved to try another method; for bad men, judging of others by themselves, easily persuade themselves, that other men are influenced by those corrupt principles which prevail in their own minds; he had the impudence to offer him a purse of gold; the good bishop saw it and trembled, and was never known to express a greater concern than upon that occasion; the confusion he was in upon such an unexpected provocation extremely disordered him, and he immediately sent away this abandoned prostitute with great indignation. He impaired his strength LXXIX. The bishop by the method of his studies |