at the Time by thofe who attended his Lordfhip in his laft Illness, and were with him when he died. Accordingly, by an Article in a News-Paper, figned Mifopfeudes, his Grace challenged the Author of that Pamphlet to produce his Authority for what he had advanced; and in a fecond Article defended the Bishop against him; and in a third (all with the fame Signature) confuted another Writer, who, under the Name of A real Proteftant, ftill maintained that ridiculous Calumny. His Antagonists were effectually fubdued, and his Superiority to them was publicly acknowledged by a fenfible and candid Man, who figned himself, and who really was, A diffenting Minifter. Surely, it is a very unwise Piece of Policy, in thofe who profess themfelves Enemies to Popery, to take so much Pains to bring the most respectable Names within its Pale; and to give it the Merit of having gained over thofe who were the brightest Ornaments and firmeft Supports of the Proteftant Cause.

The Welfare, the Credit, the good Influence of the Clergy he had entirely at Heart, and fuffered Nothing to efcape his Notice, that could in any proper Way promote them. He earnestly endeavoured to prevent unworthy

Men

Men from bringing Disgrace on the Profeffion and Contempt on Religion, by entering into Orders. With this View it was that he fo strongly recommended the greatest Care and Caution in figning Teftimonials. They

are," fays he, "the only ordinary In"formation that we have in a Cafe of the "utmoft Importance, where we have a Right "to be informed. For no one can imagine, "that we are to ordain whoever comes, or

depend on clandeftine Intelligence. We "must therefore, and do depend on regular "Testimonials,-every Part of which ought "to be confidered before it is given, and no "Confideration paid to Neighbourhood, Acquaintance, Friendship, Compaffion, Importunity, when they stand in Compe"tition with Truth.---It may be sometimes "hard for you to refuse your Hand to im66 proper Perfons; but it is only one of the

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many Hardships which Confcience bids "Men undergo refolutely when they are "called to them. It would be much harder, "that your Bishop fhould be misled, the "Church of God injured, and the poor "Wretch himself affifted to invade facrilegi

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ously an Office, at the Thought of which * First Charge to the Diocese of Canterbury, P. 222.

" he

" he hath caufe to tremble *." If any fuch however had unhappily found Means to obtain Ordination, he did his utmoft to prevent their further Progress; or if that could not be done, very openly fignified his Dislike of their Conduct; nor could he ever bring himself to treat them, however confiderable their Rank might be, with any Marks of Efteem or Respect.

Men of Worth and Eminence in the Church he cherished and befriended, and endeavoured to bring forward into Stations where they might be fingularly ufeful. Above all he diftinguished, with peculiar Marks of his Favour, the confcientious and diligent Parish Priest. He was of Opinion, that " the main

Support of Picty and Morals confifted in "the parochial Labours of the Clergy; and "that, if this Country could be preserved "from utter Profiigatenefs and Ruin, it muft "be by their Means." For their Affiftance therefore in one important Branch of their Duty, he gave them in his third archiepifcopal Charge Directions for writing and fpeaking Sermons. The Thoughts of such a Man, on fo nice and difficult a Subject, muft

*First Charge to the Diocese of Canterbury, P. 226. + Ibid, P. 239.

naturally

naturally raise fome Expectation, and that Expectation will not be difappointed. They are the evident Refult of a found Judgment, matured by long Experience and a thorough Knowledge of Mankind, and are every Way worthy of one who was himself so great a Mafter of that Species of Compofition and Elocution. It was his Purpose, after speaking of ftated Inftructions, to have gone on to occafional ones; but he did not live, as he himfelf foreboded he fhould not, to accomplish that Defign.

The Conduct which he obferved towards the feveral Divifions and Denominations of Chriftians in this Kingdom, was such as fhewed his Way of thinking to be truly liberal and catholic. The dangerous Spirit of Popery indeed, he thought, fhould always be kept under proper legal Restraints, on Account of its natural Oppofition not only to the religious, but the civil Rights of Mankind. He therefore obferved its Movements with Care, and exhorted his Clergy to do the fame, efpecially those who were fituated in the Midst of Roman Catholic Families; against whose Influence they were charged to be upon their Guard, and were furnished with proper Books, or Inftructions for that Purpofe. He took

all

all fit Opportunities of combating the Errors of the Church of Rome in his own Writings *; and the best Answers, which were published to fome of the late bold Apologies for Popery, were written at his Inftance, and under his Direction. He had the good Fortune to preferve fome Perfons of Confequence from embracing that Communion, and to receive feveral Converts from it, both of the Clergy and Laity, into the Church of England. When the Earl of Radnor moved in the House of Lords for an Enquiry into the Number of Roman Catholics in this Kingdom, his Grace was very active in forwarding that Measure. The Return for his own Diocese was no more than 271; that, for all the Dioceses in England and Wales, did not exceed 68,000; which, even when all due Allowances are made for unavoidable Errors of Computation in great Towns, more especially in London, fell far fhort of what by fome well-meaning Perfons they were fuppofed or reprefented to bet. And if we further reflect how many wealthy

* See particularly his Sermons on the Rebellion in 1745, on the Proteftant Working-Schools in Ireland, on the 5th of November, and a great Number of occafional Paffages to the fame Purpofe, in various Parts of his Lectures, Sermons, and other Works.

+ Dr. MAYHEW affirms, that in the Year 1745 the Papists in London only were 100,000, and that the People there were faid

to