THE Bishop of Worcester HIS LETTER TO THE CLERGY OF HIS DIOCESE.  
LONDON, Printed for Samson Evans, Bookseller in Worcester. 1689.   

THE Bishop of Worcester HIS LETTER, etc.  
Salutem in Domino. My Reverend Brethren,  
HAVING to my great dissatisfaction received advertisements that in most Parishes of the Diocese, there is a notorious Omission of public Catechising, (though strictly enjoined by Authority Civil and Ecclesiastical) whereby a Sluice hath been opened to streams, to torrents of novelties of Tenets; to impieties, enormities of Practices; I apprehend it strictly incumbent on me, as my Pastoral duty, to excite, to importune the speedy redress of this scandalous neglect; to be like Origen, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that the younger sort whose precious Souls you are accountable for (within your several Precincts) may not be like Clouds whiffled about with every gust of Error; and whilst undisciplined, prostituted to the approaches, the lures of all defilements, exposed to the taint, the contagion of every modish Vice; but that they may by your sedulous conscientious Care be timely seasoned with a tincture of Grace, the more firmly to retain the impression of it, that they may be Orthodoxly principled in point of Piety towards God, Loyalty to the Sovereign Powers, of Temperance to themselves, of Justice and Charity towards others.  
I presume you will allege, that the Pulpit hath herein abundantly supplied the defailance of the Desk, of the Reading Pew; that your Sermons have reiterated those Lectures, though not in the formal Catechistical dress, and method. Whereas when humane laws are not repugnant to Divine; the solemn Maxim, Obedience is better than Sacrifice is a safe Rule, not only in pious, but prudential considerations; it being an influence of Judgement to suspect our own Judgement, not to overween our Intellectuals, but to allow that our Governors in their well weighed Constitutions, and Canons, may be as wise, as upright as ourselves.  
I shall not set sacred Ordinances to clash with each other, which ought to be Buttresses for mutual support; I shall not discountenance, nor depretiate the indispensably requisite Exercise of Preaching; it being no panic terror of a dismal menace, not appropriated to the Apostle himself only, but extended to the whole Priestly function; For necessity is laid upon me, yea woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel (1 Cor. 9 16.) This Woe is a gloomy doom of utter darkness, (i ipsâ brevitate foecundan Tertullian's phrase) fraught with fullness in conciseness: yet this duty of Preaching is no supersedeas to the Catechism, one can give no legal Bill of Divorce to the other, but aught to be as a meet help in a conjugal link, the umbrage, the disparagement of the one as unsinewed, ungarnished, will add no force, no lustre to the other; Preaching without the auxiliary Catechistical preparation may prove like to sounding Brass, like a tinkling Cymbal.  
This condescension of instruction by way of Dialogue is more smoothly insinuating, more effectually edifying; whereby the principles of Religion are more easily imbibed, less nauseated, disrelished by Palates naturally corrupted, whereby the first rudiments of Divinity are more readily chewed by Novices, by Babes in Christ, whose Flock consists of Lambs to be fed, as well as Sheep. Gerson the famous Sorbon Doctor Chancellor of Paris, being aspersed, as if being a Catechist to Children, he had eclipsed his Splendour, sullied his Reputation in a derogatory degenerating disguise of humility; with a judicious candour he vindicated himself, not retaliating any virulency, or acrimony of Censure; that he might otherwise teach Disciples, pomposiùs, more pompously, instruct more floridly, more eloquently in the continued harangue of a Sermon, but not, fructuosiùs, more fruitfully, as to the information of the Understanding, as to the sanctification of the Heart, in greener years, though less plausibly acceptable to the itch of▪ curiosity in the attention of the Ear, wherein by an exemplary integrity he designed to advance God's Glory, whilst he despised his own. Amongst my Brethren you, that are most eminently qualified for Arts, and Languages (Talents you are entrusted with, that must be awfully reckoned for at the Audit of the last day) ought not to disdain to stoop to the Catechistical task (solidly, perspicuously laying the foundation of Christianity) which requires a mature knowledge▪ an indefatigable diligence, a discreet regular Zeal. Lewis the 9th of France did not apprehend it an indignity derogatory from his Royal grandeur to catechise a Scullion, upon the account of the dignity of his Soul equally interested in the Excellency of Christ's ransom with his own.  
This Province however contemptible in the common estimate in later corrupted times, (it being with Seasons as with Vessels, the dregs draw downwards) yet it hath not been spurned at, not waved by the most renowned Fathers of the Primitive Church, Eastern and Western.  
Not to insist on instances of a more transcendent Station, of an Evangelist of St. Mark at Alexandria, of an Apostle of St. Paul at Corinth, where his Planting hath been anciently expounded Catechising.  
This hath been the prime ingredient for preserving, and propagating the stability of Truth in Doctrine, of the beauty of holiness in conversation in the best and purest Ages of the Church.  
It is the signal observation of the most Accomplished modern Prelate Bishop Andrews, When Catechising was left off in the Church, it soon became darkened and overspread with Ignorance: the Papists therefore acknowledge that all the advantages the Protestants have gotten of them hath come by this exercise, and it is to be feared that if ever they get ground of us, it will be by their more exact and frequent catechising 〈…〉  
I may innocently though (I presume) not inoffensively) with that the over-rise disuse of this Ordinance be not rather varnished, than justified by the subterfuge of an Apology, by the specious excuse of some of my Brethren, in shifting the Scene of guilt, entirely transferring it from their own remissness, to the refractoriness of Parents, in behalf of their Children, not to be cajold, by any invitations, and overtures.  
Whereas no paint of Pretence, no artifice of palliation, can deceive the Scrutiny, can evade the Justice of the All seeing revenging God.  
I must mournfully acknowledge, that many Parents are alienated from this Discipline, being depraved by the fascination of erroneous Sentiments, or deluded by prejudice of Education, or diverted by profane supine inadvertences; so that there may seem requisite the Constitution and practice of the Helvetian Reformed Churches, established also in a Gallican Synod, that none be admitted to a Matrimonial State till first qualified by the Catechistical Discipline; yet before any such expedient can be expected, I question not but by the blessing of God on the Devout Addresses, the active endeavours of my Brethren of the Clergy, by the vicissitudes of public and private lenitive persuasive Arguments (experimentally found successful) some Parents even of obdurate tempers may be softened to melting bowels, for the spiritual concerns, no less than the temporal of their nearest Relations, the transcripts of the Originals themselves, multiplied, set out in lesser Editions; left otherwise they be branded in Saint Bernard's expression to be peremtores, not parents. Not considering that the minority of Age, the blossoms of years are not exempted from the blasts of Fate, from the period of Death, according to the Jewish Proverb, There are Sculls of all Sizes discernible in Golgotha. It was their prudential cautionary Piety, that the first Characters to be imprinted in the minds of their Children should be religious Advertisements, whereby Nature itself might be insensibly cultivated, transplanted to Grace, and pious Acts without difficulty and anxiety improved to Habits.  
It is the sage encouragement of a Sacred Precept, Prov. 22. 6. Train up a Child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. The intellectual faculties are best receptive, most retentive of the first Tincture of literature. Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu.—  
'Tis also with Tenets as with Viands, an Error in the first degree of Concoction is not easily corrected in the second or third. The Babes of the Israelites were Textuaries, versed in the Principles of Divinity before they were instructed in the rudiments of Grammar. The Church of Christ in the Primitive lustre did not degenerate from this Mosaical Pattern. Saint Jerome asserts, that the first word Children were prompted to assay to utter, was Halleluja composed of Halelu and jah. Praise the Lord.  
As when in a lower in a lesser Orb, being for many years confined to a Parochial distinct limit, I could not with tranquillity of mind, with peace of Conscience indulge myself to decline the Catechistical performance; so being placed (however unworthily) in a higher Sphere for a more diffusive inspection, (your selves the Shepherds, in a figurative Notion; being my Flock.) I cannot without perfidiousness to my Pastoral Charge, connive at any, who shall reject this Initiatory Exercise, not recommended only as arbitrarily to be pursued, or baulked, according to your own fancies, but required avoidable to be observed, as necessary, necessitate praecepti, though not medii.  
In discharging this Duty you are not left at liberty for option in choice of Novelties of Catechisms to gratify your own selfish opinionative Sentiments, or the different Shibboleth of others, as if our Saviour's Compass for Religion had as many Points to vary as the Mariners for Navigation. The Arrian Creed was taxed by S. Hilary to be as changeable as the Moon. In due submission to Authority the Catechism enjoined in the Church of England ought to be expounded, not exploded. It is highly approved by foreign reformed Divines. Mr. Dally a bright Luminary in his Sphere (in the Gallican Protestant Church) magnifies the Purity, the brevity, 
Dallaeus in l. 2. Confer.  the perspicuity of it, Orthodoxly reduced from the Oracles of Scripture.  
I shall further implore your sedulous Care in admonishing the Parents of Children Catechised, not to neglect the opportunities of Episcopal Confirmation, as soon as they are in a competent Age, a degree of apprehension of understanding: not barely capacitated by a promptness of memory, of elocution, for recital, to be disciplined only like Parrots.  
Let not the disuse excite a disesteem of Confirmation, though not to be dignified to be a Sacrament in the strictest notion, yet it is to be admitted, celebrated as a Sacred Ordinance, extending its beneficial influence to both the signal, the formal, Evangelical Sacraments: like Janus it hath a double aspect, it looks backward, as additional auxiliary to Baptism (inverting the Scene of the Votaries of Christian Piety by Proxies, by Sureties, to an immediate personal professional Obligation) Confirmation also looks forward, as a proper preliminary to the Eucharist precisely antecedently requisite for the practice, at least the desire of it in the judgement of the Church of England. It is generally retained, solemnly observed in the Lutheran Churches in the venerable tract of the purest Primitive.  
Not to insist on the Canons, the Sanctions of Councils: Beza in a higher Key of Advancement exalts it to be an Apostolical Institution in the phrase of Imposition of Hands (Heb. 6. 2.) Calvin vindicates the ancient exercise of Confirmation, not tainted with the Lees of the Modern Romish Superstition, (as it is refined in the Church of England) deplores the omission; yerns, pleads for the restitution of it, amplifies the emoluments of it for preventing new-started Errors, for tuning the jarring Strings of contentions to a melodious Harmony, for an uniform Stability of religious Principles and judicious Methods.  
Major esset in populo Christiano fidei consensus, non tanta multorum inscitia, 
Calv. l. 4. Inst. cap. 19  non adeo temere quidam novis & perigrinis dogmatibus abriperentur, omnibus denique esset quaedam velut methodus doctrinae Christianae. Mr. Baxter expressly acknowledges that the not practising of Confirmation hath brought us into confusion, and that it must be the practising of it that must restore our Church to order, and heal most of our divisions.  
Dr. Jackson pathetically resented the defailance of a strict inquiry in this concern, both in Episcopal and Archidiaconal Visitations. Not to dilate an Epistle to a Volume, I shall conclude with a paternal Monitory Advice, which being tendered with the right hand, (with a sincere respect) let it not be received with the left, (with a sinister construction.)  
Toward the younger Sort, Let not your grave Discourse be destitute of the Efficacy, tho' it be of the Formality of a Catechism; Maxima debetur pueris Reverentia. Towards the Elder Sort, Let your Conversation be a daily Sermon; in a Pastoral precedence of Conduct, after the mode of the Eastern Countries; to lead your Parochial Flocks by a Constancy of Orthodox Doctrine, (Fidei regula being irrefragabilis, immobilis, saith Tertullian) and by the integrity of a regular Deportment; Not to be like the Roman Cassius Severus, Maleficae vitae, sed orandi validus, (in the Historian's Character of him) eloquently persuasive in Language, profanely execrable in Life.  
This were to present the Devil in Samuel's Mantle, to cover the blackest, vilest deformity, that of Wickedness, with a specious white Ephod. The Infirmities of others are our Crimes, our Crimes Enormities, Prodigies. In the Mosaical Law as large a Sacrifice is required for the Priest, as for the whole Congregation.  
It besteads, beseems you in all the emergencies, difficulties of the times, to acquit yourselves wise as Serpents (not to be deluded) harmless as Doves (not to be depraved, not envenomed, embittered) The candour, moderation of Bucer, was too rigidly, if not morosely charged to be his Crime, even by some worthy reformed Divines his Contemporaries.  
The most sedate tempers, the most pacifique Spirits are least impure whilst most offensive; It being the Observation of Livy, Media via nec parit amicos, nec tollit inimicos. Being unleavened with Animosities in Controversies, in Debates let your Prudence calmly guard your Innocence, and your Innocence uprightly sanctify your Prudence. (If the salt be unsavoury wherewith shall it be seasoned?) Let it be an unsullied, unbiast, unscanted Innocence. The Law of God is not disjunctive, but copulative in the decision of the Schoolmen.  
The desertion, the detestation of one Vice is no warrant, no privilege for the pursuits, the embraces, the caresses of another, tho' more popular, set out in a more fashionable Dress, and Varnish.  
St. Austin complained of some Divines, whose keen reproof had but one Edge, extended not to both the extremes of iniquities; their Zeal being like Ephraim's Cake, Doughty unbaked of one side.  
Let not your Spiritual Interests in any transactions truckle to Temporal. let all recesses from the deliberate conviction of Judgement, the clear dictate of Conscience (tho' smoothly palliated) be piously dreaded.  
It is the disconsolate Maxim of St. Bernard, Qui agit contra Conscientiam aedificat ad Gehennam.  
Wherefore follow not Examples against the reluctancies of Conscience, but listen to the Excellent Admonition of the son of Sirach, Accept no Person against thine own Soul, and let not the Reverence to any man cause thee to fall. Ecclesiasticus 4. 22.  
I cordially, constantly recommend you to the Divine Guidance, Solace, and Protection, earnestly requesting your devout Offices in the behalf of  
Your very affectionate Brother, and faithful Servant in Christ W. WORCESTER. Worcester, June 1. 1689.  
FINIS.