charge their Duties without Affiftants, and therefore when they might no longer have their Chorepifcopi who could be helpful to them in all parts of their Office, as had been cufto mary from the Apostles Days, and for which they had Apoftolical Examples, they then delegated their Jurifdiction to fome of their Presbyters whom they made their Vicars for that purpose, and for fuch matters as could not be committed to any that were not of the Episcopal Order, they had Titular Bishops by the name of Suffragans. And fo from the time of Lanfranc juft after the Conquest (when this Alteration began) till the abovementioned Act of King Hen. VIII. all our Suffragans were Titular Bishops, having their Titles in (a) Ang. Sacra partibus Infidelium aut Hereticorum, as (a) Thomas Bishop of Megara, Suffragan to the Bishop of Exeter, Thomas Bishop of Lacedemon, Suffragan to Hadrian de Caftello Bishop of Bath and Wells. Thomas Wells Bishop of Sidon, Suffra gan to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and a Multitude of others I could name, but that Act of Parliament made them all Chorepifcopi again by giving them their Titles from Villages, and for that Reafon, no doubt that Act was repealed in the firft year of Queen Mary, and Revived again in the firft of Queen Elizabeth. That these Suffragans were brought in at the Suppreffion of the Chorepifcopi, or foon after I am perfwaded (b) because in the Year 1240. (not above 150 Years after Gervafius fays Chorepifcopi were abolished) I find a Chappel belonging to the Church of Rochester, was Dedicated by John Suffragan to Edmund Arch bishop of Canterbury and I cannot think but that if he had been the firft Suffragan in that'

Vol. 1. p. 577. 790.r

(b) Ang. Sacr.

Vol. 1. p. 349.

See

Diocefan Epif

See, fome notice would have been taken of it, And now I cannot but exprefs my most hearty defires that this Chorepifcopal Office was reviv'd in this Church, for I am perfwaded it would be very useful, efpecially in Dioceses of larger extent, and in thofe immediately fubject to the Archbishops. Some of our Bishopricks are fo great in Circuit, that it is impof fible for one Man to take that Epifcopal Care of 'em which is neceffary. It must indeed be acknowledged that the ancient Diocefes were commonly larger than any now in England, but then they were not without their Chorepifcopi (c) For Bafil Bishop of Cafarea in (c) Maurice of Cappadocia, had fifty Chorepifcopi in his Diocefs, copacy, p. 402. who were Deputies for the Administration of Discipline in leffer Causes in the remoter Parts of his Bishoprick. And certainly Chorepifcopi are now as requifite to affift the Bifhops of large Sees, as Curates are to affift the Minifters of large Parishes. Let us confider alfo that all our Bishops are obliged to be abfent half the Year from their Charge, to attend the King in Parliament. Then for our Archbishops, befides those things common to them with other Bishops, they have the Charge of a whole Province, which muft neceffarily take up fome of that time which would otherwise be employed in the Care of their Diocefs. And his Grace of Canterbury (being a Privy-Counfellor, and one of the Principal Ministers of State) is fo continually involved in Matters of National concern, that he can have but little time to think of his peculiar Diocefs. Yet his Grace the present Archbishop has, fince he fat in the See of Canterbury, made three Vifitations of his Diocese, and perform'd the Office of

Con

Confirmation in feveral Towns there himself in Perfon, which for ought that I can find is more than any of his Predeceffors have done fince the Death of Archbishop Whitgift. Indeed the Multiplicity of Bufinefs, which fo perpetually detains our Metropolitan from us is a very great Misfortune to the Clergy of this Diocefs. It makes us very Heartless in our Functions, that when we have done our Parts there is no Bishop to perform his Office amongst us. For when we Baptize Infants and exhort the Godfathers to bring them to Confirmation, and they ask us when that Office will be Adminiftred, we can give them no positive Anfwer. We may say that our Canons enjoyn it do be done once in three years. But my Lord Archbishops Grace, tho' never fo willing, is not capable of performing it fo often: However, when these Children now brought to be Baptized, are grown to Years of Discretion, and throughly Inftructed in the Principles of Religion, according to the Directions in the Exhortation lately given you, and be ready and defirous to be Confirm'd, we can admit them to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, without their receiving actual Confirmation. And this is the beft Anfwer we can make to fuch a Question. But there is, a natural Reply returned to this, viz. that if the Cafe be thus, then it seems Confirmation is no other than a meer indifferent Ceremony which may be used or omitted at Pleasure: And to what purpose fhould Men trouble themselves to prepare their Children and bring them fome Miles to receive an Ordinance which it matters not whether they receive or no. And when fuch Replies are made it is very difficult for us to

return

return an Answer to them. All we can do is to fhew that Confirmation is no indifferent Ceremony. But then it is replyed again, that if the Governors of our Church thought fo, care would be taken to have it more regularly and duly performed in every Diocefs. Á Clergy-man I remember told me fome Years ago that he ask'd a Sectary why he left the Church? He anfwer'd, because it wanted fome of God's Ordinances. The Minister ask'd him what it wanted? He faid the Ordinance for Impofition of Hands on Perfons Baptized. The Minister replyed that therein he betrayed his Ignorance of our Liturgy, wherein is an Office of Confirmation for that purpose. I know faid the Sectary, that there is fuch an Office: But pray when has Confirmation been. Adminiftred, or when will it be done?

Pudet hac opprobria nobis,

Et dici potuiffe, & non potuiffe refelli. Surely fome care ought to be taken that this Sacred Office fhould not be fo generally neglected: For tho' it be not a Sacrament,

yet it is an Apoftolical Inftitution, and (a) one (4) Heb 6. 1, 2. of the Fundamentals of Christianity alfo, and if rightly and duly Adminifter'd may be a great means of furthering the Salvation of those who receive it as they ought, especially in an Establish'd Chriftian Church, where Perfons are generally Baptized in their Infancy: That when they come to years of understanding the nature of the Gofpel-covenant, they may as our Church fays (b) publickly in the prefence (6) Introduction of God and his Congregation, renew the to the Office of folemn Promise and Vow that was made in their Names at their Baptifm; Ratifying and Confirming the fame in their own Per

• fons;

Confirmation.

fons; and acknowledging themselves bound to believe and do all thofe things which their Godfathers or Godmothers then undertook for them. I am perfwaded if this Divine Ordinance was regularly and duly Adminifter'd, our Sectaries would not fo much encrease amongst us. For if Children were well Inftructed in the Principles of Christianity contained in the Church Catechifm, and then duly Examin'd and Confirm'd by the Bishop, they would not as they grew in Years be easily drawn from our Communion. And our (c) Church feems to be of the fame Opinion, when it strictly requires every Bishop to perform this Office duly once in three Years (d) lib. de Confirm. Dr. Hammond positively afferts, that next to $7.

(c) Can. 60.

(d) Præfat. ad

the embracing of the true Faith, and the reC ception of the two Holy Sacraments Inftituted by Chrift himself, there is nothing which fo ftrongly binds us to a perpetual obfequioufnefs to Chrift, and to a fincere and unchangeable Obedience to the Evangelical Law, as the Ordinance of Confirmation: There is nothing from the diligent and pruident Administration whereof the Chriftian • Commonwealth can hope for greater Returns of Profit and Advantage: Nothing laftly, from the neglect or mere formal performance whereof (Ex opere operato as they fay) Piety can receive greater or more pernicious Damages. For to this end chiefly was this Rite anciently Inftituted and Celebrated, as well that the Obedience which we owe to Chrift, might be more firmly Promis'd and Sign'd with this Pledge or Seal, as that a more plentiful effufion of the Holy Spirit might by devout Prayers be brought • from