man to be rightly informed, where he is to apply for the acquirement of that knowledge, which will facilitate to him the understanding of the Scriptures; and, perhaps, there never was greater occasion for prudent directions in this matter, than in the present age. The press teems every day with publications of a most dangerous tendency, professedly calculated to weaken the faith, and to destroy the hopes, of the good Christian. Of this kind is a work intended to prove "the Inexpediency of Public Worship." Let the proposition advanced by the author of this performance be once allowed, and the very appearance of Christianity will be banished from among us; the gloomy days of paganism will instantly revive, and the iron age of ignorance be again restored. There is, surely, little occasion for any strength of argument to convince the calm and dispassionate inquirer after truth, that no institution can so much promote the glory of God, or so directly tend to the good of man, as that of public devotion. It may justly be called the very life and soul of religion; that which animates, unites, and moves the whole Christian world*.

But I trust, that the House of God will continue to be the House of Prayer; and that even the common people are too well acquainted with their duty to be deluded by a vain and subtile sophistry. I

See, on this subject, Hooker's Eccl. Polit. V. 24.

trust that they will always retain a proper reverence for, and a regular use of, our Common Prayer-book, which with all it's real or imaginary defects is, perhaps, the most valuable human composition ever penned. The incomparable Grotius, whom we cannot suspect of a partial attachment to our Church, was so enamoured of it's beauties as to declare, that none of the Primitive Churches can challenge a comparison with it in it's approach to genuine excellence*. To destroy the pernicious effects of such publications as I have mentioned, no remedy can be found more efficacious than a diligent and methodical study of the Sacred Writings, with an attentive perusal of the works of those good and learned men, who have uniformly devoted their labours to their explication. Of such works, composed at different times and under different circumstances, the merit, of course, is various. Hence arises the obligation which the young student owes to the hand, that has carefully culled and faithfully selected for him those which deserve a preference. And it is pleasing to remark, how much a critical examination of the Inspired Volumes has been of late successfully cultivated. All the prophetic and poetical books of the Old Testament have been

"Our worship is the perfectest composition of devotion that we find in any Church, ancient or modern."

(Burnet's Conclusion of the History of his Own Times.')

translated anew, and enriched with annotations happily elucidatory of the sacred text. A new version of the book of Genesis has long employed the industry of a person truly accomplished in the knowledge of the original. And there is no

doubt, but that due attention will be paid to the remaining parts of the Bible: so that no encouragement is wanting to excite us to an unremitting diligence in our professional studies*, nor can any age since the Reformation boast of more noble advantages for the improvement of theological literature; and we may reasonably expect that the character of an English Divine, as it has hitherto been highly distinguished in the page of the ecclesiastical historian, will continue to shine forth with undiminished lustre.

* " To the study of the Scriptures, history comes in as a noble and pleasant addition, that gives a man great views of the Providence of God, of the nature of man, and of the conduct of the world; will give an easy and useful entertainment, will furnish one with great variety of good thoughts, and of pleasant as well of edifying discourse. As for all other studies, every one must follow his inclination, his capacity, and that which he can procure to himself. The books, that we learn at schools, are generally laid aside with this prejudice, that they were the labours as well as the sorrows of our childhood and education. But they are among the best of books. The Greek and Roman authors have a spirit in them, and a force both of thought and expression, that latter ages have not been able to imitate." (Burnet's Pastoral Care.)

A DISCOURSE,

DELIVERED TO THE

CLERGY OF THE DEANERIES

OF

RICHMOND, CATTERICK, AND BOROUGHBRIDGE,

WITHIN THE DIOCESE OF CHESTER,

AT THE VISITATIONS HELD JUNE 20, AND JUNE 25, 1793,

AND PUBLISHED AT THEIR REQUEST.

"If it be the cause of God which we handle in our writings, let us handle it like the Prophets of God, with quietness and moderation, and not in the violence of passion.”. (Mr. JOHN HALES, of Eton.)

INSCRIBED TO THE CLERGY OF THE THREE DEANERIES.

(York, 1793.)

VOL. I.

D