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Show ----------~---------------------------------- ------~-- ~; 2r .Confideration.t, toHchi11g the EdificatioH, and Pacification·] Degrees, is a Conflitution, permanent,and perpetuall: But for p;rtic.;_ ~· }Jrity, of the Endowment, whether it fuould confitt of Tithes, or t . Ltmdi,or Penflons,.or lldi~t, might mJke a ff2.!!eflion,of Convenience; I · but no !2!Jrfi,on? of precije NeceJfifJ: A gail!, that the Cafe, of the{ Church, de faCio, J,S £uch, that there lS )\7artt, 10 the C burcb, of 1' atri ·111ony, ~ confeifed., For the Principall Places, namely, the BiG f/.Jops Livi11gs, are, in fome p1rticulars, not fufficient; And thlre - fore,-ellforced, to be fupplyed, by Tolleration of Commcnd.mu 1 Things, of tliemfdves, unfit, and ever held of no good Report:~ - And as fo:r the Benefices, and Paft"urs Place~, it is manifefr, that very many of them, are very weak, and penurious. On the o- · ther fide, that there was.a Time, when the Church wa:s rather : ;burthened, withs11perjiuity, then with [4c/z, that is'l\k.ewife::>pparent; But it is long hnce; So as the Fault, was in others, the · Want redouDdeth unto us. Again, that it were to. ·be withed:~ ! that ImpropriationJ, were returned to the Church, as the rtwfi PrtJ· pe,.; and·Naturall, Endowments thereof, is a Thing lil<ewi.fe, wher~ , in Mens Judgements, will not much vary. Neverthele{Ie, th:1rt it is an Impojjjbility,t? proceed now, either to their Rrjumptio,, or Redemption, IS as·platn on the other fide. For Mel'l are fbte.:lin· them, by the Highefl A.flurance, of the Kin,~dom~, which }s, A{} ofl Parli~p1ent; And the value ofthem,amountelh, much above ten l subjidies: And the Reft~tution mufi,ofNecefiity,pafie their Hands) in whofe Hands they now are, in pofidtioH, or Jnterd't. But of'thefe things, which a:r~ ma~ifef~ly true, to ~n~er, an~ ( ground, fome Conclufions~ Ftrft, m mthe own Optmon, and t Senfe, I mufr confef.Ie, (let me fpe~k it with Reverence,) th:n a U·l the Parliaments, finee 27_o.and 3.1°. ofH~ 8 .. (wh0.gaveaw!ly Im· propriations,from the Church,) feem t<? me, to fbnd).in a fort, ob~ noxious, and 0bliged~ to God, in.Confoience,. to do f0mewbait fnr the Church; To reduce the Patrimony thereof, to a eompctcmy. For ' fince, they have debarred, Chriftes fVife, of a great part, of ht r 1 Dowry, it were Reafon) they made her, a c01npetent,. 1oynture. · Next to fay, that Impropria.ti01u, fhould be onely charged; That carrieth) neither Poj[wility,: nor Reafon. Not Pofiibility,, fo::[ the Reafons touched before: Not Reafon, brcaufe:.~ . ~fit be aoncei· ved, that if any o~ber Perf on be charged, it fuould be aRe· charge; or Double-charg~, 1n as much, as he payetp 7.ithes, already, that is a Thingmifiaken. For it mufi be remembred, that as the Realm, gave Tithes'.J to the Church; So the ReAlm, fince again, hath given · ·nthes, away fr(\)m the l;hurch, unto'the King: As th"ey may give their 8th sheaf, or Ninth sheaf. Ahd therefore, the n .fi G.rft, being evacuated, it cannot go~ in defeazance, or difch~rge, of that perpetuall Bond, wherewith Men are bound, tomaintLlin Gods Miniflers. And fo, we fee, in Example, that divers Godly, and \ well Dijpofod, People, not Impropriatours) are content, to encrea fe, their Preachers L1ving1; which, though in Law, it be but a Be11c1Jo le11ce' yet, before God~ it is a Confcience. Further, that Impropri- . lZtionf) ojtbe Chnrcb ·o/ England. ations, iliould tiot .he, fomewhat, 1~ore deep! y, charged; then 0• ther R.evenues, ofhke value; me thinks~ cannot well be denied . Bot~, m regard, of the A1it!ient cltJim ot the Church; And the In~ tentron_, of the ftr.ft Giver; And again, becaufe they have paifed, in vabtatron, betwe~n Man and Man, fomewhat, at the Iefie rate, in reg~rd, of the fa1d pretence, or Claim, of the Church in Confcience'· before Go~. B4t of this ~oint, touching Church~-Maintenance, j do not thmk fit, to et~ter Into further Particularity, but referve ~he fame, to a fitter Time. · Thus haver, in all Humblenelfe1<md Sincerity of Heart to the befr of my und~rlta_nding, giyen your Majefly, Tribute,' f m Cares, and Cogitations, tn this Holy B1!flnej]e; So highly te~din~ to GodJ Glory, your Majefties Honour, and the Peace and Welfare of your States. Infomuch,as I am perf waded, that th~ P apifls the~felves, £hould not need, fo much, the Se'l·(;rity of Penal! Lawes if the Sw~rd of the Spirit, were better edged, by flrengthening ~the Authorrty, andfoppre.fling the Abufes, in the Church. To conclu?e, renewing my mofr H urn ble Submifiiori of ali that I have faid, to your Majejlies,mofl: High U'ifdome · And'again . mo~.humbly? craving pardon,for any Errours,committed in thi~ Wrrtt11g_; W~Jch, the fame weakners,.ofJudgement,that fuffered m~ to commtt them, would not fuffer me to dilcover them; I end ~tth my Devout, and Fervent, Prayer to God· That as he hath' made your lUajefty, the Corner·Jione, in.joynin'g, yortr two King~ domes; So, y u may ~e alfo, a~ a Corner-flone, to unite, and knit together, t hefe Dtfferences:~ 10 the Ch11rch, of God; Tow hbfe f!ca?enly Grace, and never erring, DireClion, I commend your MaJeflus SA.cr~d Perfon) and all your Doings. CERTAIN · |
