ments, and of different educations, will perpetually be mistaken by each other: and it cannot but be so, whilst they will judge with the utmost carelessness, as they daily do, of what they are not, perhaps, enough informed to be competent judges of, even though they considered it with great attention.

Published, by the same Author,

In One Volume Octavo, Price Six Shillings bound,

FIFTEEN

SERMONS,

PREACHED AT THE ROLLS' CHAPEL:

TO WHICH ARE ADDED,

SIX SERMONS, ON PUBLIC OCCASIONS.

CHARGE

DELIVERED TO

THE CLERGY

AT THE

PRIMARY VISITATION OF THE DIOCESE OF DURHAM, IN THE YEAR 1751;

BY THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD

JOSEPH BUTLER, LL.D.

THEN LORD BISHOP OF THAT DIOCESE.

WITH NOTES,

CONTAINING A DEFENCE OF THE CHARGE AGAINST THE OBJECTIONS OF AN ANONYMOUS writer,

BY THE EDITOR.

383

A CHARGE

DELIVERED TO

THE CLERGY, &c.*

It is impossible for me, my brethren, upon our first meeting of this kind, to forbear lamenting with you the general decay of religion in this nation; which is now observed by every one, and has been for some time the complaint of all serious persons. The influence of it is more and more wearing out of the minds of men, even of those who do not pretend to enter into speculations upon the subject: but the number of those who do, and who profess themselves unbelievers, increases, and with their numbers their zeal. Zeal, 'tis natural to ask-for what? Why truly for nothing, but against every thing that is good and sacred amongst us.

Indeed, whatever efforts are made against our religion, no Christian can possibly despair of it. For He, who has all power in heaven and

*The publication of Bishop BUTLER'S Charge, in the year 1751, was followed by a Pamphlet, printed in 1752, entitled, A Serious Enquiry into the Use and Importance of External Religion, occasioned by some Passages in the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Durham's Charge to the Clergy of that Diocese, &c. humbly addressed to his Lordship. This Pamphlet has been reprinted in a miscellaneous work: such parts of it as seemed most worthy of observation, the reader will find in the Notes subjoined to those passages of the Charge to which the Pamphlet refers.

earth, has promised, that he will be with us to the end of the world. Nor can the present decline of it be any stumbling block to such as are considerate: since he himself has so strongly expressed what is as remarkably predicted in other passages of Scripture, the great defection from his religion which should be in the latter days, by that prophetic question, When the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith upon the earth? How near this time is, God only knows; but this kind of scripture signs of it is too apparent. For as different ages have been distinguished by different sorts of particular errors and vices, the deplorable distinction of ours is, an avowed scorn of religion in some, and a growing disregard to it in the generality.

As to the professed enemies of religion, I know not how often they may come in your way; but often enough, I fear, in the way of some at least amongst you, to require consideration, what is the proper behaviour towards them. One would to be sure avoid great familiarities with these persons; especially if they affect to be licentious and profane in their common talk. Yet if you fall into their company, treat them with the regards which belong to their rank; for so we must people who are vicious in any other respect. We should study what St. James, with wonderful elegance and expressiveness, calls meekness of wisdom, in our behaviour towards all men; but more especially towards these men: not so much as being what we owe to them, but to ourselves and our religion; that we may adorn the doctrine of