But this is not intended as a shift for that is utterly needless as he must see who will observe how plainly Holy Writ doth Manifested two ways 1. Condemn Ambition Covetousness and Sloth as bad in all but stark naught in Ministers which they should flee from as from Hell it self from whence they come and whereunto they go And 2ly Command Personal Attendance on their several Flocks from those that have them without any Dispensation ordinarily in the Case Touching the Former First Scr. condemns Ambition Covetousness and Sloth in Ministers that Ambition Covetousness and Sloth are so condemned in the Minister should any ask me what is this unto our purpose He may as well demand Why Sin is blam'd for all our Miseries 'T is not more manifest that all our Wo doth spring from Sin Than that Pluralities do owe their being to those wicked Parents Covetousness Ambition and Sloth For when there is before Enough and Spare as was supposed it is impossible to assign any other real cause of grasping after more but to maintain their Laziness Pride and Covetousness And when the disciples of our Saviour had a spice of one of those Diseases doth he not presently apply himself unto the Cure and clap a Corrosive to the Proud Flesh which was growing up He tells them 't was a Heathenish Plant and should not grow in Christian Soil by no means in the Holy Sanctuary It shall not be so among you Matth. 20.25.26 Doth not be that lodged in his Masters bosom set a black brand upon Diotrephes for his aspiring humor 3 John 9.10 How doth the great Apostle of Vs Gentiles charge his dear Timothy to beware of loving Money the Root of all Evil when he saith Thou O man of God flee these things 1 Tim. 6.10.11 And he of the Circumcision banish all filthy lucre from the Ministers Eyes in taking up a Single Charge 1 Pet. 5.2 What Death do we think would he have doom'd it to had he perceived it gotten into the heart of any to make him grasp for more than one yea and to shew us how naturally cursed sloth and Negligence attend the other Two long before them all the prophet calls such Ministers Dumb Dogs that cannot at least will not bark sleeping lying down loving to slumber yea greedy Dogs which can never have enough Shepherds that cannot understand looking all to their own way every one for his gain from his Quarter Esai 56.11 But why should I light a Candle to the Sun or spend more words in a Case so plain To quote all places in the Scripture against these Vices particularly this Idolatry Col. 3.5 and in Ministers especially would be to transcribe good part of the Holy Bible As for the Latter That Personal attendance on their Flock is indispensibly required of Ministers Secondly requireth Personal Attendance on their Flocks Ordinarily the Scriptures are as full unto this likewise There may sometimes and for a while perhaps be just occasion of the Ministers absence on which necessity he may pass guiltless both with God and Men. But to do this Ordinarily or for a Constancy and meerly out of Choice as well as plainly for some Secular Interest This will not be dispensed with in the Court of Heaven whatever Dispensations may be gotten here on Earth The Apostle doth command the Ephesian Elders Act. 20.28 Acts 20.28 to take heed unto themselves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers and to feed the Church That the Elders here were Ministers is out of question and that they were meerly Presbyters and not Bishops Comment i◠Tit. 1. St. Jerom confidently affirmeth to be sure they are charg'd in their own Persons to attend the Flock as plainly as words can speak is And note it the self same way that they are call'd upon to tend their own Souls they are required to attend the Flock for ther 's but one taking heed which serves for Both. And surely that was not to be By Another Numb 18. Infra and without Themselves But the wretched Shift of doing this by Another was not then born and shall be hereafter handled by us according to its merit mean while I would fain know how Pluralists can with any reason be supposed to be made Overseers by the Holy Ghost of that Flock which after they have seized on they hardly ever see or to no other purpose but to Fleece not Feed them St. Paul while he staid there at Ephesus in his own Person both taught them publickly and from house to house vid. 20. Vid. 20. And proposed that Practice for the Presbyters imitation And do not our Non-residents keep very close unto this Copy They have their seasons I confess to go from house to house and not omit the poorest but 't is to call for and exact their Dues How many pluralists are there in England that hardly see either of their livings in a year Sir S. Degge a strenuous Contra-Pluralist Pars Couns Part. 1. ch 4. 1 Thes 5.12.13 For other Doctrines they are so far from doing any thing like to the keeping Conventicles that the Temple shall not see them in a Twvelve mouths time together or more perhaps Can we imagine that this same Apostle when in another place 1 Thes 5.12.13 he doth beseech the People to know them that Laboured among them and were over them in the Lord and did admonish them and to esteem highly of them for their works sake can we I say imagine that he should ever mean Pluralists and Non-residents that are so far from Admonishing Labouring and Working with them that they are not among them Nay is it not most evident hence that all who take the Care of Souls upon them should both be Present yea and Painful likewise with their People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gregem qui a vobis pendet uti apud Sophoclem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abs te pendemus Bez. in loc 1 Pet. 5.2 3. Doth not the Apostle Peter therefore to this purpose charge the Elders to feed the Flock of God that is among them that is whereof they have the Care and to be ensamples to them 1 Pet. 5.2 3. And are not they marvellously likely to do thus for them and be thus to them that are at twenty fourty or a hundred miles distance from them Ministers should be indeed the Light of the World but be they snuff'd ne're so well and shine they never so bright those that are so far from them may walk in darkness notwithstanding Were it indeed believed by Non-residents that they must give an account to God for the Souls they undertook the charge of and they acknowledge to the Bishop when they are admitted that they accept so great a Care they would surely watch and know that they could not do so unto any purpose except they kept upon the Spot where the danger is That they must answer thus and
A DISCOURSE OF PLURALITIES With the APPENDANT NON-RESIDENCE Evincing the Great EVIL in TAKING And Necessary DUTY of FORSAKING Them By him that would approve himself a faithful Minister of God Take heed unto your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers Act. 20.28 For the love of Money is the Root of all Evil but thou O man of God flee these things 1 Tim. 6.10 11. LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Sign of the Bible and Three Crowns in the lower end of Cheapside 1680. TO THE READER Curteous Reader THere was lately Published a little Piece Intituled An Endeavour for Peace among Protestants the aim whereof was upon Christian Charitable and Safe Condescensions on the Churches part as the Author thought to reconcile unto her Communion those who most unhappily had been so long Dissenters from it What the success thereof will prove 't is only time can afford a Judgment But the mean while 't is very evident That Pluralities the Possessors and Abettors whereof are both so numerous and so powerful must be Back-friends to the Design which is built on Self-denial besides the many other Injuries that they are guilty of towards God our State and Church therein as will be seen hereafter If therefore this Discourse which owneth its Original meerly to those Thoughts shall by the Almighty's blessing prosper any thing towards the Cure of such an Evil the Author will receive an Ample Reward However his Work is with the Lord and Labour shall not be in vain in him But his Prayer must be That Gospel Ministers may ever serve the Lord Jesus and not their own Belly not seeking their own but the things which are Jesus Christs and that these Papers may be serviceable to the purpose whereto all good men whether others hear or do forbear will readily say Amen AGAINST PLURALITIES ALthough I nothing doubt §. 1. Introduction but that some good and honest minds what with the laws connivance at it others example in it and their own defect of serious thoughts about it have been unhappily snared in the foulest guilt of holding More-Cures-than-one the very distance whereof bars all possibility of their discharging duly the Duties that belong unto them yet there is cause to fear that in the Crowd of such Delinquents there may be others found who are plainly of their number on whom the blessed Paul imprints that blackest Character of Suppposing Gain Godliness And certain 't is that this Vnchristian Practice gives but too much occasion to the People for crying out of All therein engag'd in St. Peters words That through Covetousness they do make Merchandise of them For who can see a Person setled in a Benefice which doth not only comfortably support him and his Family but hath to spare the common Case and here reflected on yet grasping on another that he cann't attend one but will be apt to conclude 'T is not the work of Christ but Mammon of Vnrighteousness whereto he is a Votary And how many such sad Spectacles may a little Traveller in this Kingdom meet with and yet the wonder is not great if now as heretofore and in this Church as well as in the Primitive men shall be found and in the Sacred Office who serve not our Lord Jesus but their own Bellies The fairest Crop of Wheat may have some Tares therein Honey it self is not without its filth and scum nor is the richest Ore quite free from Dross It ought not therefore to cast a worse reflection on the English Clergy that some bad men creep in among them than 't was disgraceful to the Blessed Apostles that Judas was of their Society 'T is pity any should be so like him as to pretend Christs service when they only mean their own by carrying of his Bag. And those concerned ought to bestow sad thoughts upon it that though that wretch made shift a while severest Vengeance was not long in overtaking of him yea 't is observable that his Hypocrisie was no sooner manifested than Notoriously stigmatized also John 12.6 A fair direction for guiding us upon the like occasion who may not therefore spare their open great miscarriage that seeming to be Christs Disciples do tread so plainly in his Steps that did betray him I will not say to the Non-resident Pluralist as Nathan did to David Thou art the man yet cannot but with grief observe they are too like in this respect Both seek their own and not the things which are Jesus Christs For 't is notorious §. 2. Case stated that we have great numbers of those Ministers in this distressed Church whom a Single Cure of Souls sufficient to make a serious man cry out with Paul Who is sufficient for it although endowed not only with a Competent but abundant Maintenance cannot content but they must seize upon another the remote distance whereof besides the most important and tremendous work belonging thereunto makes it impossible that both should be attended by them A course so evil in it self and of so bad and fatal Influence both on our Church in general the particular Congregations that are concerned and those Ministers own Immortal Souls that words are wanting fully to Express the vileness of it Surely 't is no rash Sentence in him that saith Pluralities are the Pest of the Church and Bane of our Religion Which I shall hope will not be disappointed of all good mens Suffrages even those that hitherto may by surprise have been entangled in this snare when once they hear what Cogent Arguments lye against it and what Clear Answers unto all Pleas for it Of both these in their order and as briefly as the Case will bear The Arguments are these that follow 1. § 3. Arguments against Pluralities They war against Scripture 2. Antiquity is a Stranger to them 3. They are doom'd by Councils 4. Are against Justice 5. And Charity 6. And Honour 7. And Prudence 8. Serving only to Vice and naughtiness 1. 1. Argument against Scripture Pluralities make open War against the Scriptures I mean not only because there is not in them any Title of Precept or Example to encourage them but they are plainly condemned there Should any ask for a Particular Law in Terms unto this purpose it might not happily be absurd to answer that Ap. Plutarch Romul as Romulus made not any such against Parricide because he judged so great a Villany was not incident unto human nature so probably the Sacred Pen-men might in this case forbear as being loath to think that such a Monster should e're be hatch'd in the Church of Christ And give me leave to note it that as Rome could not afford an instance of that Unnatural Barbarism until about six hundred years were past from the building of that City So Christianity was not pesterd with this grievous Plague till full as many years or more had been elapsed from the first Birth and Infancy of the same
therefore ought to watch so as we speak is clear by Hebr. 13.17 Hebr. 13.17 They watch for your Souls as they that must give account And then what man may safely dare to take another and a distant Cure where he can never do the Watchmans part For being absent he can give no warning for want of warning the Sinner dieth in his Iniquity and the blood of him so dying will God require at this false Watchmans band Ezek. 3.18 Ezek. 3.18 If Personal Attendance were no Duty why should our Saviour brand that Shepherd for an Hireling that fleeth when the Wolf is coming John 10.12 And John 10.12 what 's the difference 'twixt fleeing from and not coming at the Flock Both equally expose it unto danger yea may not they be strictly said to flee and leave the Sheep who after their Induction come not at them save to fleece them Was not Peter bound if he lov'd his Lord to feed his Lambs and Sheep in Person John 21. John 21. nothing more manifest But to produce more Scripture-Testimonies would be the pouring water into the Ocean I shall therefore beg Non-Resident Pluralists to observe with sadness what a dreadful Wo God hath denounced against those Shepherds that feed themselves Ezek. 34.2 c. and not the Flock in Ezek. 34.2 3 4 to vers 11. Son of Man Prophesie against the Shepherds of Israel Prophesie and say unto them Thus saith the Lord God unto the Shepberds Wo be to the Shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves should not the Shepherds feed the Flock Ye eat the fat and ye Cloth you with the Wool ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the Flock The Diseased have ye not strengthened neither have ye healed that which was sick neither have ye bound up that which was broken neither have ye brought again that which was driven away neither have ye sought that which was lost but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them And they were scattered because there is no Shepherd and they became meat to all the Beasts of the Field when they were scattered My Sheep wandred through all the mountains and upon every high hill yea my Flock was scattered upon all the face of the Earth and none did search or seek after them Therefore ye Shepherds hear the Word of the Lord As I live saith the Lord God surely because my Flock became a prey and my Flock became meat to every Beast of the Field because there was no Shepherd neither did my Shepherds search for my Flock but the Shepherds fed themselves and fed not my Flock Therefore O ye Shepherds hear the Word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord God Behold I am against the Shepherds and I will require my Flock at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding the Flock neither shall the Shepherds feed themselves any more for I will deliver my Flock from their mouth that they may not be meat for them And surely if Non-resident Pluralists are not quite past feeling they must be sensible that they are the men concerned therein Personal neglects are there complain'd of and that 's their guilt and unavoidably so And Personal Vengeance is there threatned on all such Delinquents from which by timely Repentance may the Good Lord deliver them So much for the first Argument Pluralities war against the Scriptures wherein we have spent more words because it is of greatest consequence the rest will be dispatched sooner 2. Antiquity is an utter Stranger hereunto § 4. 2d Argument against Antiquity I may safely say a bitter Enemy to the Roots and Seeds hereof Sloth Pride and Covetousness in the Ministers of the Gospel Rebukes both frequent and severe against these Vices as well as others may be met with in the Ancient Fathers But not one Title about that we now are dealing with The truth is This Piece of Naughtiness was only in the womb not midwif'd into the world as yet T will not serve the turn to tell us That the Church was under Persecution in those Elder days and then there was not such Provision made for Ministers as hath been since For though some part hereof be true the whole is not I hope at Constantine's time there was no cause to complain in either of those respects Both Cruel Persecution then was gone and Great Prosperity did succeed it but how much to the Churches benefit let the Reader judge by St. Jerome's words Part 3. Epist 43. de vita CaptrMon He tells us That the Church of Christ did thrive by Persecutions was crown'd with Martyrs but when Christian Princes were in power Her riches did indeed increase but vertues decrease And this was that which gave occasion to the well-known Proverb piety was brought-a-bed with Plenty and the Daughter choak'd her Mother But notwithstanding such degeneracy then we have no notice that this foul Corruption of Church-mens Spiritual Bigamy did any where prevail in the Church for the first Six hundred years No instance can be found upon my best enquiry of any Ministers taking two Wives at once or rather a Concubine to his Wife Hist of Couns of Trent lib. 2. ad sin Anno Dom. 1546. Engl. Edit page 217. to vex her I mean a Second Church unto his former A learned and excellent Author faith this boldly Never any thought to hold the Title of an Office or enjoy the Profit without doing Service but only after the year seven hundred in the Western Church And as before a Person was chosen sit for the necessity of the Church so afterwards a Degree Dignity or Emolument was fitted to the Quality of the Person from whenoe arose the exercising of the Ministery by a Substitute Behold by this the Venerable Hoary Hairs of Curates and their Masters Pluralists with whom the Christian Church was utterly unacquainted till Popery had invaded it and the Universal Bishop gotten to be Tyrant over it It should seem indeed that some such Creatures were creeping into the Church before about four hundred and fifty years after Christ but they were quickly disorder'd and as soon repuls'd by the Council of Chalcedon Infr. Argument 3. consisting of six hundred and thirty Bishops as we shall hear anon And the Attempt was reinforced near two hundred years after this Council but Gregory the Great then Bishop of Rome and just before the Man of Sin was mounted on his Throne Dist 89. c. 1. Singula crush'd it in the Shell as may be seen by his Letter extant in the Decrees wherein he Orders That the several Duties belonging to the Church should be committed unto several men and that no one Person how well soever experienced should at one time hold a double Service Thus long you see the Ancient Church was not acquainted with our Pluralists or laid their Ax unto the very Root thereof when once they found it T is true that some time after as also hath
Those Donations were upon such Conditions namely That the People should be there Attended where the Ministers were so Rewarded And we know who said If it be but a mans Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Testament no man disanulleth or addeth thereunto Gal. 3.15 So that Justice and Equity as well as the Express Law of God conclude That he that Teacheth is to be communicated to by him that is Taught and not another that doth not teach them Gal. 6.6 Nay as he that doth not work must not eat at all 2 Thess 3.10 So he may not have a double Mess that doth but single Work if that What an Vnequal and an Vnrighteous thing is it then that one man should take all the Pains and another the Profit thereunto belonging That Labourers should go without and Loyterers bear away the Hire and Reward from them Why should Lazy Pluralists expect the Pay belonging unto Laborious Souldiers or demand the Wages due to painful Workman Diligent Preachers are the One and Other in the Gospel but they are neither in one of their Cures at least Can it be justified that when I sweat at plow all day another that did not so much as look on shall carry away my Wages at night Or when I venture my Life in the Field he that never struck one Stroke should come at Muster day and take away my Pay This is the Case betwixt the Painful Curate and the Lazy Pluralist and what words are bad enough for the Iniquity of such Deeds Why may they not as well go into Peoples Houses and take away what Plate or other things they have a mind unto or stand upon the Road and put the Moneys of those men they meet with into their own Pockets Oh! There 's a Jayl and Gibbet in these Cases But the Curse of God and Hell hereafter are they nothing in the other Well that we may proceed 5. Tea and against Charity too §. 7. 5th Argument against Charity I mean not only what is due to the Souls of Christians and their own also which too many Pluralists God knoweth seem not to have a Stock of that may so much as match the gleaning after Vintage For beside the failing in his Personal Duty which God requireth how commonly do we see Ignorant or Vitious Curates whether will serve cheapest give him good content if some men do not seek for such when the Profits of the Place would well encourage it may be Two Learned Pious and painful Preachers as the the necessity of a numerous Congregation probably may require the same 'T is certain would they resign their Super-numerary Living to a Worthy Successor there would be proof of Christian Love unto their Peoples Souls and they should thereby deliver their own from heavy Guilt But there is another kind of Charity also which this Practice is at enmity with The Pluralists know vast numbers of Worthy Scholars that are Ministers in and out of the Universities and some with the charge of Wife and Children on their hands hardly find means to get them Bread but they have several Hundreds perhaps a Thousand Pounds or more per annum by their Cures and Dignities the while so that though their Pains be that of Drones yet they both eat the Fat and drink the Sweet live in their palaces are Cloth'd in Silks and keep their Coaches with ample Retinues and like them in Amos 6.4 5 6. are never grieved for the Affliction of their Brother Joseph though brought upon him by their Vncharitable and Vngodly Covetousness besides the manifest Injustice as we have heard Is there not the shutting up of bowels of Compassion here And consequently just cause with fear to ask How dwelleth the Love of God in such 1 John 3.17 Their works proclaim that it is the love of Money which is the Root of all Evil 1 Tim. 6.10 and of this World with which the Love of the Father cannot consist 1 John 2.15 whereto they pay their Homage and stand Devoted But let them remember The Labourers Hire crieth and the Cry doth enter into the Ears of the Lord of Sabaoth and themselves are Deaf if they do not hear it 6. Against Honour also how unworthy is it §. 8. 6th Argument Against Honour for any man to accept much more to Court and sue for such an Office which he knows himself uncapable to discharge and truly never doth intend it To be a Labourer in Christs Vineyard and yet to Loyter out one half of his work at least To cry up and magnifie Primitive Purer times and live a perfect Non-conformist thereunto To avow separation from an Apostate Church and yet to keep so foul an instance of her Apostacy which her self for very shame by Words is forced to condemn To make a shew of Love to Justice and Charity and indeed regard neither but hate both Is not this to play the Current nay the Errant Hypocrite See then how well our Pluralists do come off How honourably they acquit themselves In a word If it be Noble to be false and negligent in the greatest Trust on Earth to be Vnjust and Cruel to our dearest Brethren to count Gain Godliness and prefer Earth before Heaven then these Delinquents may pass for men of Reputation else their own hands will lay their Honour in the dust This is so legible that he that runs may read it 7. Against Prudence beside §. 9. 7th Argument against Prudence As for Spiritual Wisdom that surely is utterly banished hence Were it possible else that mens own and Peoples Souls should be postpon'd unto and scorn'd in comparison of the Mammon of Vnrighteousness Nay Common Prudence is abandon'd by these men For What can be more undiscreet than when there is no need at all as was at first supposed to create themselves the ill Opinion of It was the saying of a merry fellow That in Christendom there were neither Scholars enough Gentlemen enough nor Jews enough And when answer was made him there was rather too great a plenty than any scarcity he replied if there were Scholars enough so many would not be double or treble Beneficed if Gentlemen enough so many Peasants would not be ranked among the Gentry if Jews enough so many Christians would not profess Usury So Doctor Heylen prints the Scorn made of them Cosmogr Com. W. Genoa at the beginning and become indeed just Scorn unto the generality of Vnderstanding Sober and Impartial Christians Is' t not almost a proverb Their only way to climb to Heaven is by heaping Steeple upon Steeple as the Gyants did one Mountain on another for that purpose Certainly themselves cannot be ignorant that the Gentry censure them the People hate them and their own Best Brethren grieve and blush for them Nor do they think it Wisdom in the man that said Populus me sibilat at mihi plaudo Ipse domi simulac nummos contemplor in arcâ In short They every where pass for Perfect
Drones who feed and fatten on the sweat of others brows And most men in their hearts Ignavum fucos pecus a praesepibus arcent wishing the Magistrate would speedily put his hands thereto 8. §. 10. 8th Argument serveth only to mens Corruptions Lastly The Pluralities spoken of are only serviceable unto Covetousness Ambition Pride Luxury Sloth and Vniversal Vnconscionableness in the whole Christian and Ministerial Calling For Proof do but consider duly what hath been already spoken and consult your senses therewithal and more there is not need of He that can shew the man that is not bated but increased in his Diligence Sobriety Humility Modesty Liberality and Vniversal Conscience in Religion by Pluralities Erit mihi magnus Apollo shall be esteemed one that hath made an Observation which the whole World hath hitherto been a perfect Stranger to So many Evident Proofs being therefore made against Pluralities the Bill must needs be found a Verdict given and Sentence past thereon for Condemnation of them But what Criminal is there §. 11. Pleas urg'd and answer'd but will say something for himself or what Cause so bad but that one Plea or other shall be made for it We shall therefore fairly hear what the Delinquent with whom we have to do can plead in the defence or at the least excuse of the Guilt imputed to him 1. 1st Plea Learned and Good Ministers have been found to do so and it hath been used for many ages in the Church Admit That Learned and Good Men too Answer have done it for who am I to judge mens States with God nor dare I but to maintain such thoughts of some neither sound Learning and much less True Godliness could prompt them to it as by what above appeareth All Stories and the most Sacred too afford too many Instances of some Good Mens great Miscarriages And the very Best do yet know but in part and can therefore do not better However we are to follow a very Paul but as he doth Christ As for the length of time wherein it hath been used we heard before how Old it was younger by a great many hundred years than Christianity and born with Antichrist But could it write a great deal Elder what were it worth whilst we can truly say From the beginning it was not so This Plea is therefore Silenc'd by St. Cyprian Custom without Truth is but the Antiquity of an Errour Consuetudo sine veritate est vetustas erroris Ep. ad Pomp. prop. fin 2d Plea Answer 2. The Law allows with Qualification to take another Church What Ecclesiastical Laws require you in the Case hath been heard already and in a perfect Contradiction to this Plea And a man would think that Good Church-Laws should have no little value with Good Church-men Doubtless if the Church forbid though the State allow such men as those soon know not only that forbearance is the safer Choice but manifest Duty to them However no Humane Laws whatever Rome shall say can dispense with the Law of God and that we have already found most peremptory in the Negative Touching the Common or the Statute Laws with us I must confess great ignorance in them but yet that worthy Knight and Lawyer too Pars Couns p. 1. C. 7. Sir Simon Degge will tell you That the Commons of England always complained against Pluralities and Non-residence and many Parliaments under several Popish Kings mov'd for several Penalties against them And whatsoever allowance in that Case is made by Law was done in times of Popery which gives no cause to Protestants to be fond thereof This I am sure of Those that will think all good that Humane Laws whensoever made allow of must quickly think many thing bad which Divine Laws enjoyn us And then let them pass for never so Loyal Subjects to their Temporal Prince they must prove Rebels to the King of Kings 3. 3d. Plea Two smaller though far distant Parishes may be better cared for by one Minister than many a single Great One in some Towns and Cities especially London 'T is somewhat odd methinks to offer this Comparison If it be meant Answer that there are some so exceeding numerous Congregations that they are too great a Charge for the best qualified Minister to undertake I say that first 'T is pity but the State should take meet care about it either by making more Churches or providing more Ministers for them next that no man is compell'd to take up a burden of this kind as is like to break his back Lastly That if he be engaged already he must either lay it down or take in help unto him to be sure at least he is obliged to lay out the utmost of himself therein and then he may have hopes of a more than ordinary blessing with him But for Two Places and far distant it is not possible that a single Person can discharge the Duty of them both and therefore 't is a mockery to talk of doing it better when it cann't be done at all 4. 4th Plea All Church-Livings are the Churches Common Bank and therefore She may dispose thereof at Her discretion provided all the Churches shall be taken care of duly 1. Answ 1. But we see Pluralities never suffer such due Care to be taken of all particular Congregations wants And who would make new ventures where all before him had miscarried 2. And then not only Two but Ten or Twenty 2. or an Hundred Cures or more for what should hinder if supplies be made may be assigned to one man And this were a Monopoly I think the boldest Pluralist would never seek a Patent for 3. nay wherefore truly 3. should not the Bishop take all the Profits of all the Livings within his Diocess into his own hands allowing Pensions which he thought convenient to those that should officiate in the several Parishes 4. Lastly But we do see that Glebes 4. and Tythes ought both of Right and do by Law belong unto particular Parish-Churches whence they arise and for encouragement of those particular Ministers who labour and take pains among them as was before evinced 5. 5th Plea Why But indeed the Bishop hath the Care of all the Churches in his Diocess be they never so many Why may not then a Presbyter take the Care of Two and put one other in his room as he doth many 1. Answ 1. Had we nothing else to say but that not mens Example but Gods Word must be our Rule that were enough to baffle this Pretence We heard before where God hath made men Watchmen or Overseers they owe a Personal Attendance on the respective Flocks and all among them 2. 2. Our Bishops Charge lies purely here to see as far as in him lieth that you discharge your duty to the Flock and they to you and unto one another and all to God or else to deal with Both or Either according to