pending almost entirely on you for their hopes of another. It is a noble employment to direct their behaviour and lighten their toils here, by precepts and motives which lead them on at the fame time to happiness hereafter. You will be fure of their acknowledgments at least in proportion as you fucceed in this work; but you will be rewarded by God in proportion as you endeavour it. Think not therefore, that I am laying burthens on you, but only flirring up your minds by way of remembrance, and exhorting you fo to watch for the fouls of men, as they that must give account, that you may do it with joy and not with grief. It is very little in my power either to increase or leffen your duty. Our bleffed Mafter hath fixed it: you have undertaken it: and were I to release you from ever so great a part of it, I should only bring guilt on myself, without acquitting you at all. The injunctions of the New Teftament, infinitely ftricter than any of men, would continue to bind you as firmly as ever. Take heed therefore to the miniftry which you have received in the Lord, that you fulfil

it.

Having a subject of fuch a nature to speak to you upon, and being able to speak to you in a body but once in three years, you must not wonder if I go fomewhat beyond the bounds of a common difcourfe. There are many other things, and very material ones, relating to you as parish-minifters, which I could have wished to mention now: but I was will ing to treat first of such matters as belong more immediately to the worship of God. If it please him that I live to another vifitation, I fhall in that proceed to the reft. Permit me now to add but one word or two more upon a different subject, and I have done.

Whilst we are ferving Chriftianity here, with the advantage of a legal establishment and maintenance, there are vast multitudes of our fellow-fubjects in America, their negroflaves, and the neighbouring Indians, amongst whom the knowledge of God is taught, and the exercifes of his worship fupported, if at all, very imperfectly, and with great difficulty, by the fociety for propagating the gospel the income of which depends entirely on the voluntary contributions of good Chriftians; and is now reduced fo low, and burthened with fuch a debt, that they find it neceffary to propofe, this

next

next year, according to the powers of their charter, and with his Majesty's recommendatory letters, a general collection, which they have not had for above twenty years past, to enable them to go on. Application will probably not be made to every parish separately. But I hope every minister will give this excellent defign all the affiftance in his power; fuch as can afford it, either by becoming ftated contributors and members of the fociety, or at leaft by fome occafional benefaction in this time of need; and all, by recommending the case to fuc of their people or acquaintance as they have reason to think will pay regard to it. If any person defires a more particular acquaintance with the nature and usefulnefs, and prefent condition of this undertaking, I have given fome account of these matters in a fermon at their anniversary meeting, lately published by me, and shall be réady to give any of you farther information, who shall either now or hereafter apply to me for it, perfonally or by let

ter.

But I must not yet conclude, without mentioning also the fociety for promoting Chriftian knowledge; who are carrying on the fame good work in the East Indies, which that for propagating the gospel is in the Weft; and at the fame time are promoting the cause of religion many ways here at home: particularly by felling, at very low rates, Bibles, commonprayers, and numbers of other religious books, chiefly of fmall fizes, for the ufe of the poor. This they alfo are fupported in by voluntary benefactions: to which whoever is able to contribute, will do a very good work; and whoever can only purchase a few of their books for the use of his patifhioners, fhall have both my best affiftance in it, and my hearty thanks for it.

I do not mean at all, in fpeaking of these things, to prescribe to you the methods of your charity; but only to lay before you two very deferving ones, which may poffibly have escaped the notice of fome of you; and to endeavour, that the cause of our Lord and Mafter may be served in as many ways as it can: for you must be fenfible how very great need there is that none be neglected.

By zealously making ufe of fuch as are prefented to us, VOL. IV.

N

we

we may poffibly be of much more fervice to 'others than we may expect; but we shall be fure of doing infinite service to ourfelves!

And may God flir up the wills of all his faithful people, that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of him be plenteously rewarded, through Jefus Chrift our Lord*.

* Collect for the 25th Sunday after Trinity.

A CHARGE

A

CHARGE

DELIVERED TO THE

CLERGY OF THE DIOCESE

O F

OX FOR D.

In the Year 1747,

I

REVEREND Brethren,

Cannot speak to you thus affembled, without congratulating you in the first place on the happy fuppreffion of that unnatural rebellion, which, fince we met last, hath threatened our religion and liberties. Nor will either my duty, or my inclination, fuffer me to omit returning you my heartiest thanks, for the unanimous zeal you expreffed against it; and, I doubt not, were ready to express, even before the exhortation to do fo, which I was directed to fend you, and which you received with so obliging a regard. Your behaviour, and that of the whole clergy, on this trying occafion, hath abounded with fuch proofs of loyalty and affection to the government, under which God's mercy hath placed us, that his Majesty hath declared, he shall ever have the ftrongeft sense of what you have done for the support of his throne, and gladly fhow his gratitude by any proper methods of extending his Royal favour to you and to religion. It may be hoped also,

that our fellow-fubjects will remember, what they owe to our long despised and reproached labours and learn, how effential a part the Church of England is of our prefent establishment. Indeed, not only the more candid of those, who thought amifs of us, have acknowledged our merit now; but the lying lips are put to filence, which difdainfully and despitefully spoke against us*. And let us go on, brethren, to express the warmest and most prudent zeal for what we doubly felt the value of, when we feared to lofe it: and fo behave in this and all refpects, that they who are of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of us +. For however imperfectly men may do us juftice, our reward from God is fire.

I have recommended to you, in the courfe of my former vifitations, various parts of your duty: First in general, aș minifters of the gospel in a vicious and profane age; then more particularly, as incumbents of your refpective parishes. Under this latter head, I began with what immediately relates to the worship of God: and now proceed to another point, of a temporal nature indeed, as it may feem, but several ways connected with spirituals; the care you are bound to take of the incomes arifing from your benefices. Thefe endowments are facred to the purposes of piety and charity: and it is nei ther lawful for us to employ them unfuitably ourselves, nor to let any part of them become a prey to the avarice of others. The few that may appear to be larger than was neceffary, are in truth but needful encouragements to the breeding up of youth for holy orders. And were they leffened, either an infufficient number would be defined to that fervice, or too many of them would be of the lowest rank, unable to bear the expence of acquiring due knowledge, and unlikely to be treated with due regard. Befides, the most plentiful of these revenues may be well applied to religious ufes : and therefore, as they have been dedicated, ought to continue appropriated, to them. But the generality of them, it will furely be owned, are fmall enough; and a very great part of them left fo utterly incompetent, by the ravages of former times, that the little which remains, demands our strictest care now. For, without it, poor incumbents will not be able to maintain themselves decently, much lefs to exercise hospita

Pfal. xxxi. 20.

+ Tit. ii. 8.

lity