Q. But fince the Interest of the Clergy is fupported by what they plead for, doth not this make it reasonable to fufpect that all revealed Religion is only Prieft-craft?

A. It is very fit that they who quit all other Methods of procuring Subfiftence fhould live of that Gospel they preach; and though Men may be swayed by Intereft, yet the Truth and Falfhood of Things no ways depend upon it; and the Measures of judging concerning them are quite of another Nature. It is fufficient Evidence muft convince a Man that is impartial, concerning the Truth of what is afferted; and it is reasonable to fuppofe, that they who make it their Bufinefs to fearch into thefe Matters, fhould be beft acquainted with the Grounds of Conviction. And we find that our Value for the Laws of the Land and the Art of Phyfick, is no ways abated by the great Advantages they make who follow either of thofe Profeffions.

Q. Is it reafonable to be prejudiced against Religion upon account of the bad Lives of fome of the Clergy?

A. As long as Clergy-men are cloathed with Flesh and Blood as well as other Men, we ought not to be prejudiced against Religion, because some few are overcome by the Follies and Infirmities of Mankind; the many remarkable Instances of Piety and Devotion, of Charity and Sobriety among the facred Order, should rather confirm us in our holy Faith, fince they, who have had the greatest Opportunities to examine the Grounds of Religion, fhew forth the Truth and Excellency of it by holy Lives fuitable to their Profeffion.

Q. How may the Clergy best preserve that Honour and Refpect which is due to their Cha

racter?

A. By difcharging the Duties of their Profef

fion with great Zeal and Confcience; by behaving Bp Stil. themfelves with Gravity and Sobriety, with Meekling fleet. nefs and Charity, the folid Ornaments of their holy Function, and the fureft Method to raise themselves above the Reproaches of a malicious World; for true Value and Efteem is not to be acquired by the little Arts of Address and Infinuation, much lefs by Flattery, and by complying with Men in their Follies, but by Steddiness and Refolution in the Performance of their Duties, joined with all that Charity and Gentleness in their Behaviour, which is confiftent with being true to their own Obligations.

Q. Wherein confifts that Love we owe to the Minifters of God?

A. In being ready to affist them in all Difficulties, and in vindicating their Reputation from thofe Afperfions which bad Men are apt to load them with. In covering their real Infirmities, and interpreting all their Actions in the best Senfe; never picking out the Faults of a few, and making them a Reproach to the whole Sacred Order.

Q. Why ought we to provide a Maintenance for the Clergy?

A. Because they are in a peculiar Manner Servants of the great God of Heaven and Earth, to whofe Bounty we owe all that we enjoy; and therefore fhould dedicate a Part of what we receive to his immediate Service, as an Acknowledgment of his Sovereignty and Dominion over all. And what makes this Duty farther reafon

able,

able, is, that in order to be Inftruments in God's Hands in procuring our eternal Welfare, they renounce all ordinary Means of advancing their Fortunes; they furrender up their Pretenfions to the Court and Camp, to the Exchange and the Bar; and therefore it is highly fit that their laborious and difficult Employment, purely for God's Glory and our Salvation, should receive from us the Encouragement of a comfortable and honourable Subfiftence.

Q. Why ought their Maintenance to be Honourable and Plentiful?

A. That Parents may be encouraged to devote their Children of good Parts to the Service of the Altar; for it is not probable they will facrifice an expenceful Education to an Employment that is attended with fmall Emoluments. And if fome Perfons have Zeal enough to engage in the Miniftry without a Refpect to the Rewards of it, yet common Prudence ought to put us upon fuch Methods as are most likely to excite Men of the beft Parts and Ability to undertake the facred Fundlion; that the best Caufe may have the beft Management, and the pureft Religion the ableft Defendants. It is alfo neceffary that their Maintenance fhould bear fome Proportion to the Dignity of their Character, who are Embajadors for Chrift; and fhould raise them above the Contempt of those who are too apt to be influenced by outward Appearances. For though Wisdom is better than Ecclef. 9. Strength, nevertheless, as Solomon hath long fince 16. obferved, the poor Man's Wisdom is defpifed, and his Words are not heard. And farther, that by this Means they may be better enabled not only to provide for their Families, which is a

Q93

Duty

Duty incumbent upon them as well as the rest of
Mankind, but to be Examples to their Flock in
Charity and in doing Good, as well as in all
other manner of Virtue.

Q. What Maintenance do the Laws of the Land affign to the Clergy?

A. First, the Manfe, or House and Glebe, which was the original Endowment of the Church, without which it cannot be fupplied; and without which it could not be confecrated; and upon which was founded the original Right of a Patronage. Secondly, the Oblations, which were the voluntary Offerings of the Faithful, very confiderable in the Primitive Times; fo that the Neceffities of the Church were liberally supplied from the great Bounty of the People; and when, upon the fpreading of Chriftianity, a more fixed and fettled Maintenance was required; yet fomewhat of the ancient Custom was retained in coluntary Obletions. Thirdly, Tithes, which are the main legal Support of the Parochial Clergy. The Reason of their Payment is founded on the Law of God; and their Settlement among us hath been by ancient and unquestionable Laws of the Land; fo that, in the Judgment of the greatest Lawyers, nothing is more clear and evident than the legal Right of Tithes.

Q. What makes it highly reasonable that the Subjects of England fhould chearfully fubmit to the Payment of Tithes?

A. Because Tithes were granted by the Bounty and Munificence of the firft Monarchs of this Realm to the Clergy, Lands in the Kingdom, and the perpetual Payout of all the ment thereof laid as a Rent-charge for the Church on the fame, before any Part there

4

of

And if perhaps

was demifed to others. ome of the great Men of the Realm had hen Eftates in abfolute Property, as it is certain there were very few, if any, that had, they charged the fame with Tithes by their own Confent, before they did tranfmit them to the Hands of the Gentry, or any who now claim from them. For it appears from Sir Ed- Lib.1.c 9. ward Coke, that the first Kings of the Realm bad Sect. 73. all the Lands of England in Demefne, and les fol. 58. Grands Manours and les Royalties they referved to themfelves; and with the Remnant they enfeoffed the Barons of the Realm for the Defence thereof, with fuch Jurifdiction as the Court Baron now bath. And at this Time it was, when all the Lands of England were the King's Demefne, that Ethelwulf the fecond Monarch of the Saxon Race after the Heptarchy, conferred the Tithes of all the Kingdom upon the Church by his Royal Charter, which is extant in Abbot Ingulf, and in Matthew of Westminster. A. 855; So that the Land being thus charged with the Payment of Tithes, came with this Clog unto the Lords and great Men of the Realm, and hath been so tranfmitted and paffed over from one Hand to another, until they came into the Poffeffion of the prefent Owners, who must have paid more for the Purchase of them, and required larger Rents from their Tenants, if they had not been thus charged. And whatever Right they may have to the other nine' Parts, either of Fee-fimple, Lease, or Copy; they have certainly none at all in the Tithe or Tenth, which is no more theirs, than the other nine Parts are the Clergy's.