[166] L. 1do not think the World bath abetter Clergy than the Church of England M I do challenge oft any to name that Nation under Heaven -out ofthe Kings Dominions that bath two thouland worthier Minifters than thole that were here filenced, and reviled, and hunted like Rogues. But I pray you tell me, I. Doyou know how many, and what fort ofmen the Pa- trons in England are that chufe them ? The Conformifts oft fry that many of them are Simonifts : It's well known that many of them are taken for the famoufeft Papi{ts in the Countrey. Tho' they have the \vit and faculty to keep offLegal Conviction, or elfe to manage their Advowfons by Truttees. And O how well were it with England ifnone or few of them were Worldlings, Gluttons, Drunkards, Whoremongers, or Haters, or Profecu- tors offerious godly men.?' Is there any Body doubts whether there be filch ? And tho' good and fober Lords and Gentlemen will promote good and lober men, the propagationofthe fpecies is the molt natural Appetite ; and' an evil Tree will bring forth evil Fruir, and a Hater of Godlinefs is unlike to chufe a godly Pattor. Andany man that bath Money, be he never fo bad or erroneousmay buy an Advowfon or Prefentation. And muli all poor Souls have no other Paftors than there men will chufe ? And quo jure ? how came they by a right to chufe Paftors for all the Land ? Did God ever give it them ? The People at firtl finfully gave it them, in blind gratitude, for Building and Endowing Temples. But Mens Grant many hun- dred years ago, being finful, hath nopower to bind our Confci- ences : Our Fore- fathers might give their Lands from their Po- flerity ; but they couldnot give away Gods Ordinances, nor the means ofour Salvation. If Patrons might ill difpofe of Temples and Tythes, that's nothing to prove that they may chufe Paftors for'all men againft their wills. L. But theBilhops have theporo of Infiitution, and they will keep out unworthy Aden. M. t. Do they de faElo keep them out ? I toldyou truly what a companyof ignorant drunkenReaders I, was bred up under till I was thirteen years of Age, or fourteen, and what a fort were round about us And yet theBithops were as good men as any I know
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