clefiaftical State, fhould continue, upon the C Dregs of Time, and receive no Alteration now for this five and forty Years and more? < If any Man fhall object, that if the like Intermission had been used in Civil Caufes alfo, the Error had not been great; furely the Wisdom of the Kingdom hath been "otherwise, in Experience, for three hundred years space at the leaft. But, if it be faid to me, that there is a difference between Civil Caufes and Ecclefiaftical, they may as well tell me that Churches and Chapels need no Reparations, though Houfes and Caftles do, whereas commonly, to fpeak Truth, Dilapidations of the Inward and Spiritual Edifications of the Church of God are, in all times as great as the Outward and Material. Sure I am that the very Word and Stile of Reformation used by our Saviour. from the Beginning it was not fo; was applied to Church Matters; and those of the highest Nature, concerning the Law Moral. Thus have I freely delivered my Thoughts on this Subject. And trust that I have done it in a decent manner, with due Respect to my Superiours both in Church and State. And if any Word has flipt from me either in this Preface or the following Book, which may feem to Reflect on any Perfon whatsoever, I heartily retract it. I have, I thank GOD, a most Dutiful Affection for the QUEEN our most Rightful and Lawful Soveraign, a firm, unfhaken Zeal for the prefent Establishment both in Church and State; I Honour, Refpect and Love my most Reverend Metropoli B 3 tan tan and Diocefan, to whom I have feveral Obligations both of Duty and Gratitude, and if I diffent from him in any particulars it is pure matter of Principle and Confcience, not of Party that caufes me to do it. I honour all the reft of my Lords the Bishops, and moft of them for their Perfonal Merits no less than for their High Station in the Church. I love and respect all my Brethren of the Clergy for their Order fake, efpecially those that labour most in the Word and Doctrine. I hate the Odious Diftinction of High-Church and Low-Church, and I heartily pray there may be no other Contention amongst us than who fhall endeavour to discharge his Duty most faithfully. And having made this Solemn Declaration I commit the fuccefs of my Labours to the LORD. AN 23 II. Of the Regal Supremacy. ders proved from the Scriptures. 50 Clergy. 74 123 VII. Of the Original of Parishes and Parish Priefts. VIII. Of Deacons. IX. Of Archdeacons. 166 174 180 X.Of Chapter. X. Of Archpriests or Rural Deans. Page. 185 XII. Of Chorepifcopi, or Bishops Suffragan. 215 XIII. Of Archbishops, or Metropolitans. 257 823 XV. Of the Election of Bishops in the Pri- XVI. Of Feuds or Benefices. XVII. Of Investiture. in the Empire. 386 391 397 402 XVIII. Of the Contests about Investitures XIX. Of the Contests about Investitures in England. 409 XX. Of the Manner of Elections in Eng- 416 420 XXI. Of the Conge de Eflire. The Conclufion. 434 44 OF A N ACCOUNT O F Church Government,&c. CHA P. I. Of the Catholick Church, and its Authority and Government in General. HE Catholick Church, which we all our Creeds is, (a) by our Canons (4) Can. 55. defined to be the whole Congregation of Chriftian People, difperfed throughout the whole World. In which Definition our Church speaks no other than the Senfe of the Scriptures and whole Primitive Church, which have Taught us, that the Catholick or Univerfal Church is a Society or Corporation of Men Collected out of all Nations, and United to each other by fuch Bands as are proper to a Society of Men to make them a Body Corporate. This is plain from the Scriptures, where the Church is called and set forth by fuch Names as are commonly used to denote a SoB ciety |