the Court the Trouble of dancing Attendance on it and by and by out comes the two-handled Rod and Blood-Pail to fright the stubborn Children into Obedience And these Fees of the Court sometimes are very terrible things and touch a Man to the quick As the Reckoning is enflamed by a roguish Vintner when his Guests are so with liberal drinking by scoring up two Bottles for one at the Bar so they know how to take the advantage of the Ignorance of those they have got into their Clutches and top upon them double the Rates of what is by Law allowed I find one of themselves confessing this in sundry Instances in the Courts of the Arch-Bishop of York as to Testamentary Matters and acknowledging the same in general as to other Fees for Copies of Acts Depositions of Witnesses Fees to Apparitors H. Conset Practice of Ecclesiastical Courts p. 422 3. c. Take one Instance To a Judg for an Administration where the Estate is above 40 l. 7. s. 6 d. which advance from 2 s. 6 d. for that was the old Price according to the Table allowed of in 13 Eliz. ' was as I have heard saith he in compassion to one of the Commissioners of the late Arch-Bishop's his necessitous Condition agreed by all the Proctors and other Officers to be imposed on the Country Whether this Commissary be dead or no I know not but till the Year 1685. this way of raising Mony on the Country without Act of Parliament did continue in this and in many other Instances there enumerated by him and I suppose doth so still By the same reason that the French King imposes Taxes on his Slaves because he had Authority given him once to do it in Cases of Necessity while the Kingdom was in a Flame And tho he had a Law to do so for the present which these Harpies never had yet the forementioned Author gives a substantial Reason for the thing that may supply the place of it For Id. ibid. saith he speaking of the Registers the Reason of Augmentation to them is because they pay great Fines to the Arch-Bishops for their Places and he that buys the Devil must sell him and do again let them for Term of Years to Deputies for great Fines which Deputies have no way to raise their Monies but by this manner of advance or exaction upon the Country Now I think the same Argument is altogether as strong for the Surrogate who is the Chancellor's Deputy for Chancellors and Officials have learnt the Art of making their Places Sine-Cures committing them to the management of those Journy-men who are many times wretchedly ignorant and so are often imposed on by the inferiour Officers by whose direction all Matters are dispatched as the Clerk manages the Justice and they to be sure will turn the Water into such a Channel that it may most effectually drive their own Mills But supposing none of these Blunders or Knaveries be committed let 's a little examine the regular and ordinary Proceedings And in order thereunto we must consider there are two sorts of Causes Plenary i. e. such as require a solemn Order and Method and Summary where that being waved a Proceeding by a shorter Cut will serve the turn Now what Causes in particular fall under each of these Heads is kept very dubious for a very profitable Reason Conset p. 22 3. viz. this Tho the Cause be summary yet you may proceed plenarily and 't is the more valid and the Officers of the Court can the better lick their Fingers But if the Cause should be judg'd to be a plenary one and you should proceed summarily then all the Proceedings are immediately null you lose your Charges and the Proctor gets and the Pidgeon-House of Cards being pulled down the Child must begin all again Now in plenary Causes out goes a Citation either general or special obtained by the Plaintiff his Sollicitor or Proctor drawn by the Proctor Sollicitor or Apparitor in writing and sealed by the Judg. Then the Mandatory or the Plaintiff certifies the manner in which the Defendant was cited that so the Plaintiff's Proctor may draw an Authentical Certificate thereupon to which an Authentick Seal is put at the special instigation and request of the Mandatory Then you must have a Proctor either general or special to manage the Cause For no Citation tho executed can be brought into Court but by him he must be constituted by a Proxy i. e. by a Power or Mandate given to the Proctor by his Client to appear and transact for him or before a Notary publick with Witnesses and this authentically sealed too And the Election of your Proctor must be inserted in the Acts of the Court if he die after the Suit is contested the Mandate is absolutely revoked Then supposing they have not got you on the hip for some Error as yet however there be abundance of Blots yet to be hit Many Exceptions may be brought in peremptory ones either simply such or defensive or dilatory ones and these are twofold Dilatoria Solutionis where perhaps the Party alledges the paiment or satisfaction of what is sued for and Declinatoria Judicii for declining the Cause either by excepting against the Judg by Recusation Provocation c. or by reason of the Plaintiff or the Arbitrators or Proctor Advocate Libel Witnesses Interrogatories Publick Instruments Positions Sentence c. Besides these there are two Squadrons more of Exceptions Mediae or mixt Ones and Anomalae or irregular Ones each of which have their proper Seasons of being urged And these must be drawn in writing and some Body must pay for all this For 't is Mony makes these Beasts to go without which they will not stir a soot What we have hitherto spoken of is common to all Causes whether Plenary or Summary What we shall further add and there is much behind agrees in its whole Latitude to the former sort of them Suppose then that hitherto we be clear of all Rocks then comes the Libel but it must be subscribed by an Advocate and possibly you may wait a little for it till next Court-day This being at last given into Court it often happens that it must be amended or alter'd in many Cases too tedious to reckon up And you can't have any thing done to an old pair of Clothes but you shall find an Item for it in a Taylor 's Bill Then follows the contesting the Suit By this time the Defendant is called upon to put in his Answer and unless he confess the Fact either in part or in the whole as 't is laid and so casts himself on the Mercy of the Court which is contesting Suit Affirmatively he must protest by his Proctor against the generality ineptitude obscurity or undue specification of the Libel and that the things contained in it are not true and therefore what is contained in it ought not to be granted And this is contesting Negatively Then the Plaintiff alledges
of her True Sons to themsâ—lveâ— And yet even of the Bigots there are so many that frequently arraign some of our Articles in the Pulpit it self particularly the 17th about the Doctrine of Election that we see not how they will escape the 5th Canon And if we were not afraid of being sent to the Devil for company by virtue of the 139. Can. we would make bold to question the Convocations being the Church of England by Representation See the Pref. 'T is strange how they shou'd Represent us of the Laity who never Chose or Deputed ' em 'T is much stranger how they shou'd Represent the K. and Parliament who I hope are a very Excâ—llent part of our Church for if they do we see not what occasion there can be to interpose their Authority anew to give force to their Canons They can at the most only Represent the Clergy of our Church and are indeed no more than the King 's and â—â—rliament's Ecclesiastical Council to adviâ—e 'em what Laws relating to the Church they shall enact by thâ—ir Authority circa Sacra For all their Canons would never bind one Consciences as the Laws of the Church if the Civil Authority made 'em not the Laws of thâ— Land To sum up this Head Why should we think our Convocation so infallible and the Constitutions of our Church so absolutâ—ly perfect that a man cannot find the least fault with any one of them under a less penalty than being cut off as a dead member from the Body of Christ This is as inexcusâ—ble a rigor as if our Parliament should make it no less than Banishment for any Subject to dispute the Equity of the least Clause in the whole Book of Statutes So that if the Convocation think fit to keep up these Canons still it were very great Charity to clap Padlocks on the Tongues of the People to prevent their running into the Devils Clutches by prating too freely against the Orders of our Church And perhaps it was the sagacious foresight of such Complaints as these made that wise Convâ—câ—tion by way of prevention excommunicate among the rest all that should affirm 'em to be A Company of mâ—n that conspired against godly and religious Professors of the Gâ—spel or assert That their Canons should be despised or rejected Only they were careful to twist in the Kings Authority with their own that he who slighted the Convocation might be thought to trample on the Crown Of Corruptions in the Ecclesiastical Courts AND here we do most humbly desire that the Reverend Guides of our Church will patiently hear us and especially those of that Venerable and truly Apostolical Order and if any expressions should drop from us that may seem inconsistent with that filial duty we owe to 'em we desire it may be imputed to our great zeal for 'em and we shall as submissively fall on our Knees to beg their Pardon as we would do on any other occasion to implore their Blessing Mâ—ny of the old Corruptions saith one of our Reverend Fathers in God do yet remain among us in practice Dr. Barnet's Thanksg Ser. before the H. of Commons Jan 31. p. 33 and the administration of the Ecclesiastical Authority is liable to great Objâ—ctions I will not run out in farther particulars for it will be easie to find them and if you once set abâ—ut it you will soon see whâ—t work is before you We shall confine our Discourse chiefly to the high and dreadful Sentence of Excommuâ—ication for so it is in its self and was always so esteemâ—d by devout Souls till the great and scandalous Abuses and Corruptions of it in these latter days hath made it contemptible to that degree that sinners do no more value 〈◊〉 than men do the threatning predictions of a common Almanaâ—k maker concerning Thunder and Lightning We have many things here to offer under these following Heads 1. The Persons that manage it 2. The Causes for which it is inflicted 3. The manner of proceeding in our Ecclesiastical Courts 4. The things that ensue on the sentence of Excommunication 1. The Persons that manage it And into whose hands would a man rationally expect the Keys should be put but theirs to whom Christ and his Apostles have given thâ—m and where the Primitive Church left them Who should judg Spiritual Matters but Spiritual Men Who should correct the children but their Fathers and discipline Souls but they that have the Care of them and watch over them as those that must give an account They that so justly claim the Power of Ordination why should they not have that of Excommunication and deliver up to Satan as well as give the Holy Ghost What is it that can reasonably be supposed to hinder our Reverend Biâ—hops from minding so great and necessary a part of their Offâ—ce Is it their great diligence in Preaching 'T is true this â—ur Church doth strictly tie them unto The a 1 Tim. 3. apt to teach Epiâ—â—le or that b Acts 20 17. have taught you publickly and from house to house take heed therefore to your sâ—lves and to all the stock over which the H. Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the church of God c. which is appointed for it and the c St. John 21. Jâ—sâ—â—â—â—ith to Peter lovest thou me more than these Feâ—d my lambs Feed my sâ—â—â—â— c. Mâ—â— 28.18 Go and teaâ—h all naonâ— c. Gospel read at their Consecration puts them in â—ind of it Nay they formally promise it For these are Two of the Questions propounded to them 〈◊〉 the Arch-Bishop d See the form of the Consecration of Bisâ—â—ps Are you determined out of â—â—e Holy Scriptures to instruct the people â—ommitted to your â—harge Will you then faithfully exâ—rcise yâ—ur sâ—lf 〈◊〉 the same Holy Scriptures and call upon God by Prayâ— for the true understanding â—f the same so as ye may be â—ble by them to teach and exhort by wholâ—some Doctrine â—d to withstand and convince the gainsayers To which â—â—e Bishop answers e See to â—he same â—urâ—â—se the Collect immediately following Vâ—ni creator spiritus and the 〈◊〉 of the â—â—ch-Bishop to the Bishop when he delivers him the Bible and the first of the three 〈◊〉 Prayers said for the last Collect immediately before the Benediction I am so determined by Gods â—â—â—ce and I will so do by the hâ—lp of God And the â—ractice of some of our Reverend Fathers does convincingly shew they are no strangers to Gods grace or help See the first Collect in the Consecration of Bishops See the Collect in the Consecrat said next after the Litany See the Collect after Veni Creator in this particular But will diligence in one duty excuse the neglect of another Doth not our Church pray Almighty God to give to all Bishops the Pastâ—rs of his Church that they may duly administer godly Discipline as well as diligently preach the Word and That they may faithfully
were no difficult Task to shew and were worthy the Observation of any Historian that would give a true Account of the continuance and increase of our deplorable Divisions And as we dislike this Notion the more when we consider the purposes and designs for which 't is calculated so we have this Argument to urge why it should be disown'd viz. Because it plainly sets up a Foreign Jurisdiction against which the Nation is solemnly sworn The second Canon excommunicates ipso facto all Impugners of the King's Supremacy Agâ—inst which we think there is nothing can be objected but the fault common to it with the 10 following Canons viz. Excommunicating ipso facto Of which more under these following Canons Can. 3. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm That the Church of England by Law established under the King's Majesty is not a true and Apostolical Church teaching and maintaining the Doctrine of the Apostles Let him be excommunicated ipso facto and not restored but only by the Archbishop after his Repentance and publick Revocation of such his wicked Error Can. 4. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm That the Form of God's Worship in the Church of England established by Law and contained in the Book of Common-Prayer and Administration of Sacraments is a corrupt superstitious or unlawful Worship of God or contains any thing in it repugnant to the Scriptures Let him be excommunicated ipso facto Can. 5. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm That any of the 39 Articles agreed upon by the Archbishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London 1562 c. are in any part superstitious or erroneous or such as he may not with a good Conscience subscribe unto Let him be excommunicate ipso facto Can. 6. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm That the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England by Law establish'd are Wicked Antichristian or Superstitious or such as being commanded by lawful Authority men who are zealously and godly affected may not with any good Conscience approve 'em use 'em or as occasion requires subscribe to 'em Let him be excommunicate ipso facto Can. 7. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm That the Government of the Church of England under His Majesty by Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons and the rest that bear Office in the same is Antichristian or repugnant to the Word of God Let him be excommunicate c. Can. 8. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm or teach That the form and manner of making and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons contains any thing in it repugnant to the Word of God or that they who are made Bishops c. Let him be excommunicate ipso facto Can. 9. Whosoever shall hereafter separate themselves from the Communion of Saints as 't is approved by the Apostles Rules in the Church of England and combine themselves together in a new Brotherhood c. Let him be excommunicate ipso facto Can. 10. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm That such Ministers as refuse to subscribe to the form and manner of God's Worship in the Church of England prescribed in the Communion-book may truly take to 'em the Name of another Church not established by Law and dare presumâ— to publish it That this their pretended Church has of long time groan'd under the burden of certain grievances imposed upon it and upon the Members thereof before mentioned by the Church of England and the Orders and Constitutions therein by Law established Let him be excommunicate ipso facto Can. 11. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm or maintain That there are within this Realm other Meetings Assemblies or Congregations of the King 's born Subjects than such as by the Laws of this Land are held and allowed which may rightly challenge to themselves the Name of true and lawful Churches Let him be excommunicate c. Can. 12. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm That 't is lawful for any sort of Ministers or Lay-persons or either of them to join together and make Rules Orders or Constitutions in Causes Ecclesiastical without the King's Authority and shall submit themselves to be ruled and governed by them Let him be excommunicate ipso facto To these may be added Can. 139. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm That the Sacred Synod of this Nation in the Name of Christ and by the King's Authority assembled is not the true Church of England by representation Let him be excommunicate c. Can. 140. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm That no manner of person either of the Clergy or Laity not being themselves particularly assembled in the said Sacred Synod are to be subject to the Decrees thereof in Causes Ecclesiastical made and ratified by the King's Majesty's Supreme Authority as not having given their voices to them Let him be excommunicate c. Can. 141. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm That the Sacred Synod assembled as aforesaid was a Company of such persons as did conspire together against godly and religious Professors of the Gospel and that therefore both They and their Proceedings in making of Canons and Constitutions in Causes Ecclesiastical by the King's Authority as aforesaid ought to be despised and contemned the same being ratified by the same Regal Power Let him be excommunicate c. We have often heard our Clergy mention among many other Excellencies of our Church her admirable Charity towards those that differ from her and we have hitherto taken it for one of her just Characters For tho those that dissent from us would frequently object the Severity of the Penal Laws and the rigor with which they have sometimes been Executed as if such heavy Fines and long Imprisonments look'd but like a cold and frozen sort of Charity yet we thought it a sufficient Answer That our Church did not Countenance any of these Severities by her Doctrine And therefore how active soever some of our fiery Zealots who were the Tools of another Party might be in urging the Execution of them this was their personal Fault and nor justly imputable to the Church her self Tho by the way we cannot think it so ingenuous in some of our Clergy to throw all the blame of those severe Laws on the Parliament that Enacted them which many of themselves were but too earnest and importunate Sollicitors of But we are extreamly surprized to read the foregoing Canons and when we hear them objected as an Evidence of the Uncharitableness of our Doctrine it self We are at a great loss what to say in defence of it for we plainly perceive by them that the Practice of our most violent Bigots in the Execution of the Penal Laws has been as much more Charitable than these Canons of our Church as 't is more merciful to send the Bodies of Men into the Custody of the Jailor than to consign their Souls into the Paws of the Devil Nay 't is well that Writs de Excom Cap. have not been issued out against all whom these Canons Excommunicate For if they had the whole Race of Dissenters had long
serve Almighty God in this Office to the glory of his name and the edifying and well-governing of his Church And further That they may be not only evermore ready to spread abroad the Gospel but also use the Authority given them not to destruction but to salvation And doth not the Bishop solemnly promise to correct and punish according to such Authority as he hath by Gods Word as well as to such as shall be committed to him by the Ordinance of this Realm And the Archbishop charges him when he delivers him the Bible not only to take heed to Doctrine but how he ministers Discipline too We can't think after all this that they do voluntarily neglect so essential a Branch of their Episcopal Office as Governing the Church Ruling and Discipline is their Duty according to Gods Word and if any Ordinance of this Realm hinder them from the discharge of a Duty Gods Word hath laid on them we think if they should patiently bear it they would give but a sad Account in that day when the Great Bishop shall appear when Pulton's or Keeble's Statutes are none of those Books that shall then be open'd We are sure that this Work is a thing of the highest Trust and Authority and wherein the greatest skill and tenderness is requisite and therefore we think it should be pâ—rsonally discharged and can't lawfully be deputed to another For as the Lord Bacon hath observed we sâ—â—â—n all Laws in the world Offices of Confidence and Skill cannot be put 〈◊〉 or exercised by Deputy exceâ—t it be especially contained in the Original Grant Considerat for the better Establish of the Ch. of Engl. p. 10. never did any Chancellor of England or Judg in any Court make a Deputy Surely ab initio non fuit ita but 't is probable that Bishops when they gave themselves too much to the Glory of the World and became Grandees in Kiâ—gdoms and Great Councellors to Princes thâ—n did they deleaguâ— their propâ—r Jurisdiction as things of too inferior a Nature for their Greatness and then after the Similitude and Imitation of Kings and Counts Palatine they would have their Chancellors and Judges His Life p 92. T is saith Bishop Bedel in his Dâ—fence one of the most essential parts of a Bishop's Duty to govern his Flock and 〈◊〉 iâ—flict the Spiritual Censures on obstinate Offenders A Bishop can no more delegate this Power to a Lay-man than he can delegate a Power to Baptise or Ordain since Excommunication and other Censures are a suspendiâ—g the Rights of Baptism and Orders and therefore the judging of these things can belong only to him that had the Power to give them and the delegating that Power is a thing null of it sâ—lâ— It was ever looked on as a necessary part of the Bishop's Duty â—o Exâ—mine and Censure the Scandals of his Clergy aâ—â—â—aity in Ancient and Modern Times And much morâ— mâ—y bâ— found to the same purpose in hiâ— Life But if this Sacr d Work must be put off to othâ—rs P. 93. were it committed to thâ— hands of any of our Clergy though never so mean we coulâ— bear it out of that profound Reverence we have for thâ—iâ— Gown and Character as we d'off our Hats in a mean Countrey-Church that looks little better than a Pigeon-house as wâ—ll as in a Cathedral for the sake of that GOD to whom the One is Consecrated as well as the other But we have hardly any patience left us when we consider That the Clergy both Superiour and Inferiour stand for Cyphers and the whole Power of Excommunication is lodged in Lay-mens hands for such are their Chancellors Officials Commissâ—â—ies c. 'T is a greater piece of Sacrilege for these Thieves to steal and run away with the Keys of the Church than for any to carry off the Communion-Plate Godly Discipline being a much richer Treasure than a Golden Chalicâ— We justly deride the Presbyteriâ—ns for their compound Assemblies where the Minister and the Lay-Elder sit Cheek by Joul intermingled like a Man and a Woman at a Dutch Feast But that Hâ—tch-potch-Miscellany is more tolerable than this Constitution of Ours whereby the whole Clergy being excluded the Lay-Chancellor alone sits to remit sins or retain them Men that we are sure have no Commission from the Blessed Jesus or his Holy Apostles and have no Power to deliver any Souls up to Satan unless it be their own 'T is true indeed They have a Patent for it and that sometimes given to gratifie a Friend sometimes perhaps purchasâ—d with a round Sum of Money whereby the present Bishops pass away this their Power from Themselves and their Successors too and so they are rendred uncapable of correcting their Extravagancies and Corruptions even though they are committed in their Names and by virtue of an Authority derived from them whereupon our Reverend Fathers bear the blame and these Varlets reap the advantage of their unjust Proceedings Nay to that degree of insolence do they proceed as sometimes to hector them if they offer but to interpose to stop or to rectify any of their Illegal and Oppressive Acts. Of this we have an instance given us by the Author of the Naked Truth I don't mean the blustring Hickeringill but as is commonly beliâ—ved P. 64. a grave and excellent Prelate of our Church I remember saith he when the Bishop of Wells hearing of a Cause corruptly managed and coming into the Court to rectifie it the Chancellor Dr. Duke fairly and mannerly bid him be gone for he had no Power there to act any thing and therewithal pulls out his Patent sealed by the Bishop's Predâ—cessor which like Perseus's Shield with the Gorgon's Head frighted the poor Bishop out of the Court. Bishop Bedel's Life by Doctor Burnet p. 88 89. Another remarkable Story of this nature we have in the Life of Bishop Bedel He saw and his Soul was grieved at the bare-faced Extortions and Briberies and Commutations of Penance and Vexatious Suits c. in the Chancellor that had bought his Place from his Predecessor and the prostitution of Excommunications in a sordid and base manner To correct these abuses he goes and with a competent number of his Clergy sits and hears Causes and gives Sentence But his Lay-Chancellor brought a Suit against him in Chancery for invading his Office and tho the other Bishops stood by him saying They were but half Bishops till they recover'd their Authority out of the hands of their Chancellors and though his Chancellor's Patent were a formless Chaos of Authority conferr'd on him against all reason and equity wherein was false Latin nonsâ—nse injustice prejudice to the Chapter contrariety to it self and the King 's Grant to the Bishop P. 102. and the Seal hanging to it none of the Bishop his Predecessor's Seal yet the Chancellor's Right was confirm'd and there was given him an Hundred Pound costs of the Bishop and great endeavours were used to possess Archbishop Vsher
when they have not just Impediment The 46 and 47 runs thus 46 Every Beneficed Man not allow'd to be a Preacher shall procure Sermons to be preach'd in his Cure once in every Month at the least by Preachers lawfully licens'd if his Living in the Judgment of the Ordinary will be able to bear it And upon every Sunday when there shall not be a Sermon preach'd in his Cure he or his Curate shall read some one of the Homilies prescrib'd or to be prescrib'd by Authority to the Intents aforesaid 47 Every Benefic'd Man licens'd by the Laws of this Realm upon urgent occasions of other Service not to reside upon his Benefice shall cause his Cure to be supplied by a Curat that is a sufficient and licens'd Preacher if the Worth of the Benefice will bear it But whoever has two Benefices shall maintain a Preacher licens'd in the Benefice where he does not reside except he preach himself at both of them usually These Canons especially the former do so evidently expose themselves that they save us the labour of any long Remarks upon them We cannot but think it strange that a Man may be the Incumbent of a Cure and consequently enjoy both the Name and the Revenues of a Minister to that People who is not so much as licens'd to preach nay is so meer a Lay-man that according to Can. 49. he must not take on him to expound in his own Cure or elsewhere any Scripture or Matter of Doctrine and the highest Priviledg allow'd him is That he study to read plainly and aptly without glozing or adding the Homilies already set forth c. I perceive there may be Ignoramus Ministers as well as Lawyers or Jury-men and if our Church do not wrong them by the severe restraints this Canon lays on them they are more fit to be sent to School to con their Lesson than into the Pulpit to instruct the People But though we cannot admire the Wisdom of our Church in allowing such Men Benefices yet we must acknowledg her great Charity towards them and their Curats in providing so good a help as the Book of Homiliâ—s for those whose Eyes are the only considerable Talents that God almighty has thought fit to bless them withal We shall add no more under this Head but that we wish the Simoniacal Oath were strong enough to keep out all secret Arts of purchasing Preferments And we think it highly adviseable that according to Arch-Bishop Vsher's model Artic. 2d in every Rural Deanery the Ministers of particular Parishes might be censurable for Errors or gross negligence in their Office c. with Liberty of Appeals to a Diocesan Synod if need be But that the Clergy may not think us in these two Articles too severe on them and partial to our selves we shall propose it to the Wisdom of this Convocation Whether the Power of Patrons in presenting to Livings should not be so far restrain'd as not to impose a Minister on any Parish without their own consent The very Learned Bishop of Salisbury in his Regalia as well as others hath made it undeniably evident that this was the practice of the Universal Church for 600 if not 1000 Years after our Saviour's Time And therefore tho we would have so much regard paid to the Charity of our Ancestors as not to exclude Patrons from a Privilege enjoy'd on that score by so long Prescription yet we could be heartily glad that 't were rendred consistent with this Ancient Privilege of the People too that the Primitive Practice in this Particular might be reviv'd If indeed the Parson alone were to be sav'd or damn'd not only for himself but his Parishioners too 't were no great matter to the People who he be but if they must answer for their own Souls 't is but reasonable they should be satisfied whom they trust with the conduct of them And how liberally soever Patrons have endow'd any Churches 't were but a hard Bargain they make with the People to require them by implicit Faith to acquiesce in whatever Ministers they or their Heirs shall ever recommend to them Nay some would not have Patrons impose on our Clergy any more than on the People There are several secret ways of purchasing a Benefice which some Patrons oblige the Clergy to without making a down-right Bargain And we would not have so much as the courting an Abigal to be the price of it Of Reforming Manners in the People LEST the Fear and Apprehension into which the words Alteration and Review have cast the Author of Vox Clâ—ri should be fatal to him we shall now labour to recover him by assuring him that there are some of the old Canons we desire may be reinforc'd and that the Subjects to which they relate may be considered and examined viz. Such as order the Censures of the Church to be inflicted upon all Persons notoriously wicked that they may be hindred from coming to the blessed Sacrament with such Frequency and in such Numbers as they now ordinarily do particularly Can. 26. which runs thus No Minister shall in any wise admit to the receiving the Holy Communion any of his Cure or Flock which be opennly known to live in notorious Sin without Repentance nor any who have maliciously and openly contended with their Neighbours until they shall be reconciled Nor any Church-Warden or Side-man who having taken their Oaths to present to their Ordinary all such publick Offences as they are particularly charg'd to enquire of in their several Parishes shall notwithstanding their said Oaths and that their faithful Discharge of them is the chief means whereby publick Sins and Offences may be reform'd and punish'd wittingly and willingly desperately and irreligiously incur the horrible Crime of Perjury either in neglecting or in refusing to present such of the said Enormities and publick Offences as they knew themselves to be committed in their said Parishes or are notoriously offensive to the Congregation there although they be urg'd by some of their Neighbours or the Minister or by their Ordinary himself to discharge their Consciences by presenting them and not to incur so desperately the said horrible Sin of Perjury We do now humbly request that according to this Canon some effectual Provision may be made to hinder all such wicked Persons from our Communion which are a Scandal and Reproach to any Church much more to ours That the Matter may be seriously debated and weighed and whether more proper Methods than those hitherto resolv'd on may not be found out and settled For to speak on the behalf of the Laity as the imposing such a Task on us or the Church-Wardens is very hard and severe so it hath been unsuccessful to the Purpose for which it was intended and is likely always to prove so though the Canon says that the Church-Wardens and Sidesmens faithful Discharge of their Oaths in presenting Offenders to the Ordinary is the chief means whereby Publick Sins and Offences may be reform'd