Bishop Gibson’s Questions to his Clergy

Good Brother

The Practice of transmitting Queries to the Clergy, which was begun by my Pious and Learned Predecessor, is of such great and apparent Use, that I should think my self much wanting, not only to my self but to my successors, if I did not continue it; especially, having found the manifold Advantages of it, by my own Experience.

The particular Queries which I send you, are the same that you have usually receiv’d in order to the General Visitations; and I doubt not but you will return your particular Answers at the Time of my Visitation, with the same Exactness that you have hitherto done; particularly, upon those Heads, which relate to the Place of your ordinary Residence, and to the Times of performing Divine Service in the Church.

I must further intreat you, not to reckon your selves unconcern’d in the Presentments of your Churchwardens, but to urge them to a serious Perusal of the Articles of Enquiry; which I have drawn into as narrow a Compass as I could, in hopes that the fewer the Questions are, the more exact and particular their Answers will be. To this end, I beseech you, not only to press upon them the Obligation of their Oath, and to assist them in framing their Presentments; but also to point out to them the particular Persons and Things in your Church or Parish, which you observe to fall under the respective Articles, and which they in consequence are bound to Present.

I am aware, that the Work of Visitation hath been usually accompany’d with the Work of CONFIRMATION. But an ill State of Health which I have labour’d under for some Months past, hath made it hazardous if not impracticable for me to undertake both these together; especially, in this hot Season, to which the long Session of Parliament hath driven the Time of the Visitation. For these reasons, I have determin’d, not to Confirm in the Course of my Visitations, but to come again to you on purpose to perform that Work, when I shall have no other upon my Hands, nor any need of being attended by the Officers of my Court.