and the depravation under which most of the reformed churches are fallen. For the manners and the labours of the clergy, these are real arguments, which all people do both understand and feel; they have a much more convincing force, they are more visible, and persuade more universally, than books can do, which are little read and less considered. And indeed the bulk of mankind is so made, that there is no working on them, but by moving their affections and commanding their esteem. It cannot be denied but that the council of Trent established the errors of popery in such a manner as to cut off all possibility of ever treating, or reuniting with them; since those decisions, and their infallibility, which is their foundation, are now so twisted together, that they must stand and fall together: yet they established such a reformation in discipline, as may make churches that pretend to a more glorious title justly ashamed. For though there are such reserves made for the plenitude of the papal authority, that in great instances, and for a favourite, all may be broke through; yet the most notorious abuses are so struck at, and this has been in many places so effectually observed, chiefly where they knew that their deportment was looked into, and watched over by protestants, that it must be acknowledged, that the cry of the scandals of religious houses is much laid. And though there is still much ignorance among their mass priests, yet their parish priests are generally another sort of men; they are well instructed in their religion, lead regular lives, and perform their parochial duties with a most wonderful diligence: they do not only say mass and the other public functions daily, but they are almost perpetually employing themselves in the several parts of their cures : instructing the youth, hearing confessions, and visiting the sick : and besides all this, they are under the constant obligation of the breviary: there is no such thing as non-residence or plurality to be heard of, in whole countries of that communion; and though about cathedrals, and in greater cities, the vast

number of priests gives still great and just occasion to censure, yet the parish priests have almost universally recovered the esteem of the people: they are no more disposed to think ill of them, or to hearken to anything that may give them a just cause, or at least a plausible colour, for departing from them. So that the reformation that popery hath been forced to make, has in a great measure stopped the progress of the reformation of the doctrine and worship that did so long carry everything before it.

But this is the least melancholy part of the account that may be given of this matter. The reformers began that blessed work with much zeal; they and their first successors carried it on with learning and spirit: they were active in their endeavours, and constant and patient in their sufferings ; and these things turned the esteem of the world, which was alienated from popery by the ignorance and scandals of the clergy all towards them. But when they felt the warmth of the protection and encouragement that princes and states gave them, they insensibly slackened: they fell from their first heat and love; they began to build houses for themselves, and their families, and neglected the house of God: they rested satisfied with their having reformed the doctrine and worship; but did not study to reform the lives and manners of their people and while in their offices they lamented the not having a public discipline in the church, as it was in the primitive times, they have either made no attempts at all, or at least very faint ones, for restoring it. And thus, while popery has purified itself from many former abuses; reformed churches have added new ones to the old, that they still retain, and are fond of. Zeal in devotion, and diligence in the pastoral care, are fallen under too visible and too scandalous a decay. whereas the understanding of the Scriptures, and an application to that sacred study, was at first the distinguishing character of protestants, for which they were generally nicknamed gospellers; these holy writings are now so little studied,

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that such as are obliged to look narrowly into the matter, find great cause of regret and lamentation, from the gross ignorance of such as are either in orders, or that pretend to be put in them.

But the most capital and comprehensive of all abuses is, that the false opinion of the worst ages of popery, that made the chief, if not the only obligation of priests to be the performing offices, and judged, that if these were done, the chief part of their business was also done, by which the pastoral care came to be in a great measure neglected, does continue still to leaven us: while men imagine that their whole work consists in public functions, and so reckon, that if they either do these themselves, or procure and hire another person in holy orders to do them, that then they answer the obligation that lies on them. And thus the pastoral care, the instructing, the exhorting, the admonishing and reproving, the directing and conducting, the visiting and comforting the people of the parish, is generally neglected; while the incumbent does not think fit to look after it, and the curate thinks himself bound to nothing but barely to perform offices according to agree

ment.

It is chiefly on design to raise the sense of the obligations of the clergy to the duties of the pastoral care, that this book is written. Many things do concur in our present circumstances, to awaken us of the clergy, to mind and do our duty with more zeal and application than ever. It is very visible, that in this present age the reformation is not only at a stand, but is going back, and grows sensibly weaker and weaker. Some churches have been plucked up by the roots, and brought under a total desolation and dispersion; and others have fallen under terrible oppressions and shakings. We have seen a design formed, and carried on long, for the utter destruction of that great work. The clouds were so thick gathered over us, that we saw we were marked out for destruction and when that was once compassed, our enemies

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saw well enough, that the rest of their designs would be more easily brought about. It is true, our enemies intended to set us one upon another by turns, to make us do half their work; and to have still an abused party among us ready to carry on their ends; for they thought it too bold an attempt, to fall upon all at once: but while they were thus shifting hands, it pleased God to cut them short in their designs, and to blast that part of them in which we were concerned, so entirely, that now they carry them on more bare-facedly; and drive at conquest, which is at one stroke to destroy our church and religion, our laws and our properties.

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In this critical state of things, we ought not only to look at the instruments of the calamities that have fallen so heavily on so many protestant churches, and of the dangers that hang over the rest; but we ought chiefly to look up to that God, who seems to be provoked at the whole Reformation, because they have not walked suitably to the light that they have so long enjoyed, and the blessings which had been so long continued to them, but have corrupted their ways before him. They have lost the power of religion, whilst they have seemed to magnify the form of it, and have been zealous for opinions and customs and therefore God has, in his wrath, taken even that form from them, and has loathed their solemn assemblies; and brought them under a famine of the word of the Lord, which they had so much despised. While these things are so, and while we find that we ourselves are as a brand plucked out of the fire, which may be thrown back into it again, if we are not alarmed by the just but unsearchable judgments of God, which have wasted other churches so terribly, while they have only frighted us; what is more evident, than that the present state of things, and the signs of the times, call aloud upon the whole nation to bring forth fruits meet for repentance: since the axe is laid to the root of the tree. And as this indeed concerns the body of the nation, so we who are the priests and ministers of the Lord, are under more particular

obligations, first to look into our own ways, and to reform whatsoever is amiss among us, and then to be intercessors for the people committed to our charge: to be mourning for their sins, and, by our secret fastings and prayers, to be standing in those breaches which our crying abominations have made : and so to be averting those judgments which may be ready to break in upon us; and chiefly to be lifting up our voices, like trumpets, to show our people their transgressions: to be giving them faithful warning, from which we may expect this blessed success, that we may at least gain upon such a number, that for their sakes, God, who will not slay the righteous with the wicked, may be yet entreated for our sins; and that the judgments which hang over us being quite dissipated, his gospel, together with peace and plenty, may still dwell among us, and may shine from us, with happy influences, to all the ends of the earth. And even such pastors as shall faithfully do their duty, but without any success, may depend upon this, that they shall save their own souls; and shall have a distinguished fate, if we should happen to fall under a common calamity: they having on them not only the mark of mourners and intercessors, but of faithful shepherds; whereas, if an overflowing scourge should break in upon us, we have all possible reason, both from the judgments of God and the present situation of affairs, to believe that it will begin at the sanctuary, at those who have profaned the holy things, and have made the daily sacrifice to be loathed.

There is another, and perhaps yet a more dismal character of the present state of the age, that calls on the clergy to consider well both their own deportment and the obligations that lie upon them; which is the growing atheism and impiety that is daily gaining ground, not only among us, but indeed all Europe over. There is a circulation observed in the general corruptions of nations; sometimes ignorance and brutality over-runs the world, that makes way for superstition and idolatry: when mankind is disgusted with these, then