with those that usually are, or fitly may be, propoun ded to the elders and people concerning their minifter, at the vifitation of particular kirks. For, though, in the cafe we now fpeak of, we can have nothing but every man's own word concerning himfelf, yet this does not render it an useless thing; for, befides that divers of the queftions will be of things fo obvious to public knowledge, that no man will readily adventure to give an untrue answer, where it may be fo easily traced, there is much to be given to the prefumed ingenuity and veracity of a minifter, especially in what is folemnly and punctually inquired of him; and whatfoever, formerly, hath been, or hath not been, his former degree of diligence in the particulars, the very inquiry and afking concerning them, will be apt to awake, in every man, a more ferious reflection upon himself touching each point; and the drawing forth fuch an exprefs answer to each before his brethren, will probably excite and engage him to higher exactnefs in all of them for the time to come.

The particulars I conceive may be these, and fuch others, like them, as may be further thought fit.

1. Whether he be conftantly affiduous in plain and profitable preaching, inftructing, and exhorting, and reproving, moft exprefsly and frequently, thofe fins that abound moft among his people; and in all things, to his best skill, fitting his doctrine to the capacities, neceffities, and edification of all forts within his charge?

2. Whether he be diligent in catechifing, employing throughout the year fuch feafons and times for it, as may be easiest and fitteft for the people to attend it, and not wholly cafting it over upon fome few days or weeks near the time of the communion?

3. How often in the year he celebrates the holy communion? for I am ashamed to fay, whether, at leaft, once every year?

4.

4. Whether he does faithfully and impartially exercise discipline, and bring all known scandals to due cenfure; and does speak privately, and that oftener than once, with the perfons convicted, and admits them not to public acknowledgment, till he sees in them fome probable figns of true repentance.

5. Whether he be diligent, by himself and his elders, in all convenient ways, to know the deportment of the several families and perfons of his flock; and do frequently vifit the families, and not only ask, but do his best certainly to inform himself, whether they constantly use morning and evening prayer, together with reading of the Scriptures, if they have any that can do it; and whether this point of family exercise be specially provided for in the choice families in the parish.

6. Whether he be careful of the relief of the poor, and of vifiting the fick, whenfoever he knows of any, even though they neglect to fend for him; and for this end make inquiry, and the rather prevent their fending, because they commonly defer that, till it can be of little or no ufe to them.

7. Whether he does in private plainly and freely admonish those he knows, or hath cause to suspect, to be given to uncleannefs, or drunkenness, or fwearing, or any kind of inordinate walking, especially if they be of that quality that engages him frequently to converfe with them; and if they continue fuch, leaves off that converfe; and if their miscarriage be public, brings them to public cenfure.

8. Whether he watches exactly over his own conversation in all things, that he not only give no offence, but be an example to the flock, and preach by living.

9. Whether he spend the greatest portions of his time in private, in reading, and prayer, and meditation, a thing fo neceffary to enable him for all the other parts of his duty.

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10. Whether

10. Whether he makes it the great bufinefs, and withal the great pleasure, of his life, to fulfil the work of his ministry, in the several parts and duties of it, out of love to God, and to the fouls of his people.

11. If he does not only avoid grofs offences, (which, in a guide of fouls, were intolerable), but ftudies daily to mortify pride, and rash anger, and vain-glory, and covetoufness, and love of this world and of fenfual pleasures, and felf-love, and all inordinate paffions and affections, even in those inftances wherein they are fubtileft and leaft difcernible by others, and commonly too little difcerned by ourselves.

12. If he not only lives in peace with his brethren and flock, and withal as much as is poffible, but is an ardent lover and promoter of it, reconciling differences, and preferving good agreement, all he can, amongst his people.

It hath not escaped my thoughts, that fome of these questions, being of things more inward, may seem lefs fit to be publicly propounded to any; and that the best observers of them, will, both out of modesty, and real humility, and fevere judging of themselves, be apteft to charge themselves with deficiency in them, and will only own, at moft, fincere defires and endeavour, which, likewife, they that practise and mind them least, may, in general, profess; neither is there any more particular and punctual account to be expected of fuch things from any man in public: but the main intent in these, (as was faid before), is ferious reflection, and that each of us may be stirred up, to ask ourselves over again these and more of the like questions, in our most private trials, and our fecret fcrutinies of our own hearts and lives, and may redouble our diligence in purging ourselves; that we may be in the houfe of God veffels of honour, fanctified and meet for the Mafter's ufe, and prepared to every good work: and, for those other things more expofed to the knowledge of others, if any brother hears of any faultinefs in any of the number, he shall

not

not do well to think rudely to vent it in the meeting, till first he have made all due inquiry after the truth of it; yea, though he hath it upon inquiry to be true, yet ought he not, even then, to make his first effay of rectifying his brother, by a declaration to the full meeting, without having formerly admonished him, first alone, and then (according to our Saviour's rule) in the prefence of one or two more; but having done fo, if neither of these reclaim him, then follows of neceffity to tell the church: but that is likewise to be done with great singleness of heart, and charity, and compaffion; and the whole procedure of the whole company, with the perfon fo delated, is to be managed with the fame temper, according to the excellent advice of the Apostle, Gal. vi. 2. My "brethren, if any man be overtaken in a fault, ye "which are spiritual restore such a one in the fpirit "of meekness, confidering thyself, left thou alfo be "tempted."

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V. Paper given in by the Bishop to the Synod, October 1667, containing Propofals touching the following things:

1. Solemn reading of the Scriptures.

2. Reducing of the people to a reverend gefture in prayer.

3. Plain and practical, and catechetical, preaching.

4. A weekly day for catechifing, and the reading of the Scriptures joined with it.

5. A fhort and plain form of catechism.

6. A more exact and fpiritual way of dealing with public penitents.

7. As likewife of preparing people for the communion; more frequent celebration whereof is fo much to be wished, but fo little, or scarce at all, to be hoped in this Church.

8. That,

8. That, in preaching, the most abounding and crying fins be more fharply and frequently reproved, particularly curfing and fwearing; and the worship of God in families more urged.

9. The due educating and moulding the minds of young students in prefbyteries.

10. More frequent and more exact vifitation of churches; and the vifiting of families by each minifter in his own charge.

The words of the Paper were as follow:

1. That the reading of the Holy Scriptures in our public meetings, when they are folemneft and fulleft, be conftantly used, and that we endeavour to bring our people to a reverend and affectionate esteem of that ordinance, and attention to it.

2. That, both by our own example, and by frequent inftruction and exhortation, we ftudy to reform that extreme irreverence and indecency that hath generally prevailed in peoples deportment in time of public worship, and particularly of prayer: and that they be reduced to fuch a gefture, as may fignify that we are acknowledging and adoring the great Majefty of God.

3. That we endeavour to adapt our way of preaching, with all evidence and plainnefs, to the informing of the peoples minds, and quickening their affections, and raifing in them renewed purposes of a Chriftian life; and that fome part of our fermons be defigned for the plain and practical explication of the great principles of religion.

4. That we fix fome certain times, at least one day in the week, throughout the year, for catechifing, and that, withal, there be reading of the Scriptures, and prayer at the fame time; to which, befides that part of the people that are for each time particularly warned to be present, thofe others that are near the church, and at leifure, may refort; for, the work of the ministry is a husbandry of more continual labour

and